The Angel In Winter
by Eriksangelofmusic4ever
Summary: Erik is alone and tormented by his gypsy master, Javert. Christine is orphaned and wandering the woods. When two worlds collide, can a friendship truly last a lifetime? As they both grow together, they will learn what it truly means to love and what it means to be hated. Erik prayed for an angel, and she came in Winter. E/C as always. Will try to keep it T rated. Dark Erik/ Kay
1. Chapter 1

**Erik's POV**

It is said that when you are born, God already has your life planned out for you. They say that he will move you like a chess piece across the board of life… Though, nothing could have prepared me for the life I was going to have to live. A mother is supposed to look upon their child and love it from first sight. My mother did not smile, nor did she ever kiss me. She loathed me to no end and kept me hidden from the world. One couldn't blame her, for I was born a corpse. No one could or ever would love me…At least that is what she had drilled into my head over and over again. When I was eight, the neighborhood children had wounded me, so much so that I nearly died. My mother didn't care and I knew that she was praying to her God that I would die and relieve her of this lifelong burden.

I ran away that night, ran away and never looked back. I wasn't sure where I was headed, but one thing was for sure, I couldn't stay with her. Nothing could have prepared me for what came next, for all I had ever wanted was to run away and be free, and instead, I ran into what would become the rest of my life. I was cold and hungry, searching for anything that would keep me going. Instead of running into a patch of berries or a stream filled with fish, I came face to face with a band of gypsies. My plan was to hurry into their camp, grab a loaf of bread and run, but instead, I had been captured. At first, they were going to make me a slave, but when the leader of the camp pulled off my homemade mask and saw my hideous face, he saw money. His name was Javert, six feet tall, greasy and frightening with his long black beard and piercing green eyes. I never said a word to the man, for if he knew I could talk, there was no telling what he would make me do. No, I stayed silent, never speaking for a single second.

I was locked in a filthy cage on wheels and my mask was taken away. During the day, I was forced to show off my face to paying crowds, and oh, how they gathered to see me. If they paid extra, Javert would let them poke me with sticks and throw rotten food at me. Yes, it hurt me to hear them laughing, but this was only the beginning. I planned my escape night after night, but every time I attempted to flee, it was foiled by my master. One evening, I found a stick and picked the lock of my cage…The smell of myself and my cage had begun getting to me, therefore, as soon as the door opened, I hopped out and began running. I didn't even get a mile when my master caught up and recaptured me.

"Little vermin wishes to escape!" he growled, dragging me by my neck back to the camp. Once we were there, he pulled out a long bull whip, one that I would never forget… It was what made me fear him for the rest of my days, for on that same night, he cracked the end of it into my back until there was no more flesh left to lash it upon. I cried, oh, how I cried, but my crying only made him whip me harder. When the man stopped, he tossed me into my cage and placed a shackle around my angle, ensuring that I would never escape again. When I had been born, my face had been the only thing wrong with me, but after Javert's whipping, my back and chest were a map of destruction, for when my wounds healed, they formed into a thousand repugnant scars that crisscrossed over every patch of my flesh. This, of course, gained more crowds and attention…

If I was a good corpse and obeyed the rules, I was able to eat twice a week… Bread and water was all I ever got. I had been thin before, but once I was placed on Javert's diet, my ribs began to show. In the winters I froze, and in the summers I suffered. Three summers and winters had passed and I was now eleven… We traveled around Europe, always keeping me locked away in that rotting cage.

"And just how is my little corpse doing today?"

Javert opened the door to my cage and climbed inside, pulling the potato sack off of my head. He always pulled it off during the day and if I was good, he would give it back to me after the show. It was his way of training me to do as he pleased.

"You were a bad little corpse yesterday, so I hear… Baba told me that you were hiding your face to paying customers. Is that true?"

I turned away from the man, but he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

"You don't like it when people look at your hideous face, do you?"

I shook my head and pressed my eyes closed. But this didn't stop him from torturing me…No, he patted me on the back and reached inside of his coat pocket.

"Well, we'll fix that, won't we?"

Next thing I knew, I was forced against the bars of my cage, and Javert took a rope and tied it tightly around my neck so that it was pinned against one of the bars. I couldn't breathe, nor could I move my neck…From there, Javert tied my hands behind my back and to the bar they were leaning against.

"I'm tired of you losing me money! I have been kind to you, but since you want to be selfish, now I won't let you move at all!"

All throughout that day, I was forced to stay in that position as the crowds of people laughed and poked me with sharp objects. I cried and wished for death, but God wasn't listening…By the time the crowds died down, it had begun to snow, the cold and wet flakes causing me to shiver as they landed on my bare flesh. Over the years, I had not been given new clothes, for once the ones I had been captured in became old and too small, Javert never bothered dressing me again. Eventually, my shirt withered away and I outgrew my trousers…I was still wearing them, but instead of the cuffs meeting at my feet like a normal pair of trousers, the cuffs were torn and now at my knees, for my legs had grown.

When Javert finally cut me loose, I grabbed my sore and bleeding neck with my hand and gasped for air.

"Let this be a warning to you, corpse…If you are going to disobey me, you are going to be pinned to the bars of your cage. You are to sit there with your hideous head raised high so that every one of my paying customers can look at you. They will get what they paid for…"

I believed this torturous day to be over, but being cut loose was only the beginning. After the rope was pulled away, the door to my cage opened and Javert reached inside with his key to unlock the shackle that was around my right ankle. The shackle had not only damaged my flesh, but it had also deformed the bone…I could barely walk without a limp, and doing so was extremely painful. The man tied a rope around my waist and pushed me ahead of him to get walking. I wasn't sure where we were headed, but the snow that was beneath my bare feet burned my flesh.

"Stop whining!" the man growled. "Get walking before I give you something to cry about!"

He held the end of the rope like a leash, as if he were walking a dog. I placed my arms under one another and tried to stay warm as he led me deep into the woods. I was freezing, hungry and exhausted…The man kept me barely alive at times with the way I was treated and fed, but as I had said before, God did not listen to me when I had begged him for death. When we were about a mile away from the camp, my master pulled the rope tight to the ground. Javert had been carrying a lantern for light, but as soon as he stopped me from walking, he placed it down into the snow, the light causing his face to become even more frightening than it already was. There was nothing around except the tall trees and the only sound that I could hear was the snow lightly falling and landing upon my shoulders. Why were we here?

"Does little corpse know why we're here?"

I cowered beside a tree and shook my head.

"It has been three years this very night since I captured you…Three years and lots and lots of money since! You, my little corpse will never be leaving my sight. You have grown into a young man, one that I fancy very much."

The large man pushed me into the snow, causing it to burn my bare flesh. I was frightened now, more than I had ever been. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but one thing was for sure, I was praying once more for death.

"In our camp, when a boy turns the rightful age, he is married… It is usually arranged and there is a big celebration. Do you know what the man and woman do after they are married?"

I clung to the tree and shook my head. Oh, I just wanted this to be over…I didn't want him to continue.

"They fuck their brains out…Do you know what that is?"

Once more I shook my head. I didn't know what he was talking about, for I had only ever seen my mother kissing another man.

"That is all right, little corpse," he cooed, reaching down for his trousers. "I am going to show you what a man and a woman does. Oh, you are going to enjoy this, for no woman is ever going to want you the way a woman wants a man. You are too hideous to be with anyone, which is why you are going to appreciate this."

Javert lowered his trousers and grabbed me by the arm. I whimpered and tried to scream, but the man covered my mouth with his monstrous hand. From there, I was pushed face down in the snow and felt his free hand reaching down for my trousers. He didn't completely remove them, but I felt them come below my waist. The snow burned my distorted cheek, but I didn't cry, for I knew if I did, the torture would last even longer. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but when I felt something hard plunge deep into my bottom, I cried out in agony.

"No! No…" for the first time in three years I spoke, pleading the man to stop whatever he was doing, but he didn't.

"So, my little corpse can talk!" he growled. "Well, why don't you tell me how much you are enjoying this? Tell me!"

I continued crying, never letting up for a single second. When he was finished, my bottom throbbed with an unbearable pain, and when I was lifted to my feet, I spotted blood all over the snow…my blood. I couldn't walk, and so, Javert dragged me back to camp. More blood left my body as I was dragged over branches and rocks, a trail of blood left behind me. That night, I prayed for an angel to come and save me…I knew there was no heaven, nor any salvation for me, but in my heart I was glad no woman would ever want me, for if what I had just felt was supposed to be love, I didn't want anything to do with it…I would trust no one nor anything, I would always be alone.

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**Ok, so I wasn't going to upload this for a few weeks, but I was in a creative mood. So, I shall be updating this story once a week. Please review and I hope you loved the first chapter. Something a little different. I'm going to try to keep this T rated...Not too smutty. Thanks again, everyone! We are in for another adventure!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Erik's POV**

For nearly a week after Javert took advantage of me, I couldn't sit, stand or walk. And if things couldn't get any worse, the worst winter storm I had ever seen whipped through our camp and left me too ill to sit up. Javert took care of that, for he once again tied my neck and hands to the bars of my cage. An illness racked my body with a terrible fever and a cough. I heard one of the gypsies tell Javert that I would die without proper care, but he didn't listen. Once night fell, I was cut down and when I plopped onto the wet floor of my cage, I shut my eyes. At least I had my potato sack to keep my face warm. I went in and out of consciousness all through the night, though, when I heard footsteps, I opened my eyes to see a small figure tiptoeing through the camp. It was dark, too dark to see a thing, but from what I could see, it looked like a small boy. I ignored him and pressed my eyes closed once more, only opening them when I heard some more rustling.

I gasped for air and coughed, gaining the attention of the figure. It had been picking through the bread cart of the camp, but as soon as it heard me cough, it began making its way towards me. At first, I wanted to yell and scream, but when the figure was right outside of my cage, it just stood there looking at me. Perhaps it was a vagrant who had come into the camp to steal? I wasn't sure, but everyone was always the same… They only wanted to harm me and laugh. Suddenly, a small hand reached into the cage and placed itself over my shoulder. I would have flinched if I was well, but I didn't have the strength to do so. When the hand felt my flesh, it gasped… I wanted to tell it to touch me all it wanted…Get its fill for that's what Javert always told the paying crowds. All I ever did was frighten people.

What happened next sent me scurrying to the other side of the cage, for as soon as the figure removed its hand, it reached back inside the bars and placed a piece of fresh bread at my side. Food! Fresh food…It had been years since I had last tasted fresh food… But why? Why was this figure being kind to me? Slowly, I reached out for the bread like a frightened animal, picking it up and placing it beneath the potato sack that was covering my head. The figure was still standing there, but the moment the lights to Javert's caravan came on, it lit up the camp. This was indeed a child, for the light illuminated the figure's features. I didn't see much, but those eyes…Oh, I would never forget them for as long as I lived. Green! They were green, green and filled with curiosity. The child fled as soon as the lights came on, and it went running into the woods.

That had been the first time anyone had ever given me something…But why? Why had this child given me food? Why did he care? It had to be a boy, for I could see no hair, for it was covered by a large hat. Perhaps my wish for an angel really had come true. My illness did not fade away, for the following morning, I woke and was still extremely ill. Javert would have tied me to the bars again, but reconsidered when he heard how shallow my breathing had become. No, instead he wheeled my cart to the other end of the camp and placed a blanket over it. I still froze, but at least I could rest. The man even removed my shackle so that I could relax…Oh, if I was well, I would have escaped, but I knew if I attempted to do so now, he would never leave me alone again. He would tie me to the bars and force me to perform no matter how ill I was. I closed my eyes that day, knowing in my heart that I was most likely going to die from this illness. It would get the best of me, and in the end, it would murder me.

"Hey…"

When I heard a small voice, I opened my eyes to see the figure again. Had I really slept this late? It was pitch black now and the figure was standing before my cage with a lantern in hand. The blanket was still draped over my cage, and yet, this small child was standing before me. The moment I heard its voice, I gasped and scurried to the back of the cage.

"Hey," it whispered. "I won't hurt you..."

I didn't believe this child, nor did I want to. Though, next thing I knew, a blanket was being passed through the bars.

"Here," it said. "You look cold."

The moment I touched the blanket, the child smiled. It was soft and as I pressed it against my body, I wrapped it around my back. Oh, warmth! Warmth at last… I was so busy cuddling with my new blanket that I didn't even realize that this child was playing with the lock of my cage. The moment I heard the noise, I gasped and hurried to the cage door, pushing the boy away from it.

"What? I'm trying to get you out of here…"

"No…" I whimpered. "Don't…"

I placed my hand over the lock and tried to cover it from the boy who was attempting to unlock it. If Javert came by and seen all this, he would never leave me in peace.

"Oh, my little corpse…"

When I heard my master approaching, I shooed the child away and hurried to the back of the cage.

"You are certainly in for a treat tonight, my little corpse… Tonight, Javert has brought you some bread. Only three days old. Let's see if this will cure you of that horrible cough of yours."

All in one swift motion, the blanket was pulled from off of my cage, and chaos ensued, for the moment he noticed the blanket that was wrapped around me, he pulled open my cage door and dragged me out into the open.

"What is this! A blanket! Where did you get this from, you evil little corpse! Oh, how dare you defy Javert, your master! You are in for it now! All you ever do is get greedy! I give you an inch, and you take a mile! Not anymore…"

The man pulled me deep into the forest once again, tossing me into the snow and pulled out his whip. No…Oh, anything but this. I was sick enough without having to feel agony against my already destroyed flesh.

"You know the punishment for defying me, little corpse…Oh, and this will be a punishment you shall never forget!"

The whip was raised high into the air, and then, when it came down over my back, I cried!

"Stop! Please, no…"

"Talking again, are you? You don't like to talk any other time, but when I am beating you, you prefer to speak. Oh, for that I shall simply have to beat you!"

Over and over again the whip came crashing down against my back, blood emerging from every new wound. I knew I was going to die now… Javert was going to beat me until there was no breath left to let out. Though, when his whipping came to an end, I believed it to be over. I coughed and tried to take in a breath of fresh air, only looking over my shoulder to find the man removing his trousers. I pressed my eyes closed and shook my head. Not this…Not this horrible torture again! I wouldn't be able to move for weeks…

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**XXXXX**

"All right, corpse, time for me to show you love again."

His monstrous hands gripped my side as he plunged deep into my bottom. I screamed and fisted the ground, the same searing agony returning to me once again.

"You will learn to appreciate this, monster… I will teach you to like it in time. And then, when you are old enough, Javert will teach you how to love him. He will teach you how to make him feel good. You are my slave!"

"Stop…" I cried. "Please…No more…No more…"

"More?" he growled. "You asked for more?"

Javert thrust himself deeper into me, causing the once searing agony to become even more unbearable. I gripped the bark of a nearby tree and squeezed my fist around it, the bark giving my flesh splinters. I couldn't hold on much longer, for I was already at the brink of passing out. It was taking him longer than usual to finish with me, which was why I was wishing for death.

"You will learn to obey your master… I want to hear you say it!"

Javert grabbed a hold of the sack and pulled my head back so that I was in even more pain.

"I want to hear you call me master! I want you to say my name in that whiny voice of yours… Do it now, or I will be sure that you feel nothing but pain for the rest of your days. Tell me that you love this! Tell me that I am the only one for you…"

I didn't want to give in to my master, but I knew I would only suffer if I didn't.

"Yes, master…" I cried. "Yes, master!"

"Oh, a wonderful little voice you have… It soothes me very much, corpse… Tell me again how much you love me. Tell me! Tell me that I am bringing you pleasure."

"No!"

When I screamed out that very word, Javert pushed himself even harder into me. I gagged and grunted from the pain, my backend feeling as though it were gushing blood.

"I'm going to ask you again, demon…Does this bring you pleasure?"

I fisted the cold snow and grunted from the pain. I would never tell him that I was enjoying this! I would rather die than to tell him that this thing called "love" was pleasurable.

"All right, corpse, be ready to be extremely sore for a month… Javert is going to show you how much he loves you."

I pressed my eyes closed and was ready to feel even more pain, but instead, I heard a strange noise, and then, felt the weight of Javert fall off of me. It became silent now, so silent that I wasn't even sure what was going on. I sighed and rolled over onto my back, taking notice that Javert was lying at my side passed out. But how? How was it that he had passed out? I sniffled and pulled my trousers up over my bloody hips.

"Here…"

When I heard that voice again, I gasped and turned to the side, that same child standing before me with a heavy branch in hand. He must have knocked Javert out with it…But why? Why had this child just saved me from my torture? In truth, if not for him, I wouldn't have even been tortured this way tonight.

"Here…" the child held out the same blanket he had given me and wrapped it around my cold shoulders.

"W…What is your name?" he asked.

I backed up against the tree and turned away from the child.

"Why do you have a sack over your head?"

The child couldn't have been any older than seven or eight by his height, but I couldn't trust him. I trusted no one!

"Come with me…"

I shook my head and cowered by that tree.

"You're bleeding…Come with me…"

I was about to refuse again, when all of a sudden, I heard Javert waking! If I was still here when he awoke, he would beat me until there was no tomorrow. No, I couldn't stay here, and so, I took the child's hand and hurried into the forest.

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**Please review everyone!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Erik's POV**

After I left with the child, I lost all consciousness. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but I wasn't awake to find out. When I did wake, the first thing I noticed was a fire burning beside me…But how? Where was I? I groaned and sat up, looking around to see nothing but tall trees surrounding me. Suddenly, everything came rushing back to me! The child, my master, the child…MY MASTER! I gasped and hurried around the fire like a wild animal, kicking dirt on the flames to smother it.

"Hey!"

When I heard that childish voice again, I fell to the snowy ground, looking up to see the child rushing over to me.

"Stop…it's only a fire."

I wasn't sure if I should trust this person, for I have trusted in the past and it got me nowhere but in agony. Before I could answer him, a sudden howl stopped my heart. The dogs! My master was on to me! The child gasped and scurried to my side.

"They're on to me…We have to go!"

I hurried deep into the woods with the child following me. The howling of the dogs was getting closer and closer and I knew that we were going to be caught. We came to a path that split into two ways, those two ways leaving me confused on where to go. I had the blanket wrapped around me, but beneath that blanket, I had nothing on but my torn trousers.

"What are those things?!" the child cried.

"Master's hounds…They know my scent…He's after me!"

The sound was even closer now, my heart racing from within my chest.

"I've got an idea," the child began. "Give me your pants…"

I instantly wrapped the blanket closer to my body…It was as if the horrible torture my master had bestowed upon me was happening all over again.

"Be quick about it…I'll run up the other path with them to confuse the hounds. I'll meet you down the other way as soon as the coast is clear."

I was still unsure whether to trust this boy or not, but I knew if I didn't, I would be captured and tortured beyond my wildest imagination. The blanket was large enough to where I could cover my entire body after stripping off my pants. After handing the soiled garment to him, I headed down the other path. I prayed that the hounds became confused and went the other way, but even if they did, my master would find the boy…When I came to a dead end, I cried and hurried towards a nearby tree. I needed to get off the ground! If I could make it to higher ground, I would have a better chance at survival. The bark hurt the bottoms of my feet as I climbed each branch to make it towards the top. When I felt safe, I pressed my eyes closed and listened to the far distant howling of my master's dogs. They were vile creatures, larger than any dog I had ever come across. They frightened me more than any animal I have ever seen. They looked like wolves, but I couldn't be sure, for I never dared to look one straight in the eye. For hours I stayed put, the howling eventually coming to an end come sunrise. I was naked and freezing, my illness become worse as the wind blew beneath my blanket. When I heard distant footsteps, I panicked and began to maneuver myself higher into the tree, though, as soon as my foot came into contact with the next highest branch, I heard a crack and went plummeting to the ground below.

I cried! Oh, how I cried when my body met with the ground. I heard a crack and felt my shoulder become dislocated from its socket. I was dead! Oh, I was surely dead if this was my master. He would never forgive me for this…He would drag me back to camp and have his way with me…He would make me bleed for the rest of my days.

"There you are!"

My arm was killing me, but when I heard the familiar voice of the child, the world instantly came off of my shoulders.

"I've been looking for you all night…I hung your trousers on a branch that was hanging over a ravine. There were a lot of bushes and shrub below…Your master looked over the edge and growled before leaving. Though, I'm sorry to tell you that your trousers blew away with the wind…I'm sorry…"

I knew my master would never stop searching for me, but at least for the time being I was safe.

"Your shoulder! How inconsiderate of me…Here," the child knelt down beside me and reached out to help me up, but I scurried away like a hurt animal.

"Please don't be afraid of me…I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. You need to have that shoulder looked at. Please…"

The child held out his small hand to me, and I was reluctant to take it. No one had ever held out their hand to me before. My hand shook as I reached out and interlaced it with the child's…He might have been small, but he was strong, for a few seconds later, I was on my feet and following him deeper into the forest…

"I know just where we are…It won't be a long walk now. Come, we're almost there…"

I wasn't sure where this child was leading me, but when we came to a secluded area surrounded by brush, he led me around a corner of some sort, only to be met with a red colored caravan with a black stallion attached to it… No! This was another gypsy camp, I just knew it! Quickly, I pulled my hand from his embrace and clung to the nearest tree. I wouldn't go! I wouldn't be placed into another cage, only to be pulled around Europe as a side show attraction! Three years was too much!

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I shook my head over and over again, but the child wouldn't stop attempting to coax me towards the caravan. Suddenly, a barking occurred, causing me to run back from where we came from. This had all been a trap! This is why he had saved me! He wanted to make his papa proud and bring him something that would make him money. I could hear the fast pitter patter of small feet, that barking still continuing. No, I wouldn't be taken as a slave! My shoulder was really starting to bother me now, so much, that I was ready to pass out.

"Hey, stop!"

But I didn't stop, I continued running. Suddenly, I tripped and fell into the snow, the pitter patter of feet almost beside me now. I pressed my eyes closed and was ready to feel monstrous hands hauling me away, but instead, I felt something wet licking my bare shoulder. When I dared to open my eyes, I did not spot a scary hound standing before me…No, it was a small black and white puppy with pointy ears. Instead of biting me, he was licking me…

"Toby, stop…"

The child pulled the puppy away from my arm and reached out his hand to help me up.

"I'm sorry…My puppy frightened you, and I'm sorry… He won't hurt you. He only growls at people who are a threat to me."

When I got to my feet, I nearly toppled over due to how injured I was. If that wasn't enough, the bottoms of my feet were bleeding from all the climbing and walking I had done with no shoes.

"It's only me," the boy said. "This is my caravan…It used to be papa and me, but he died a month ago from a terrible illness. I'm not a gypsy and I promise that I'm not going to hurt you. Please come back to the caravan with me…"

I was hesitant at first, but with each step that I took, a little more worriment left me. When we reached the caravan, the horse that was strapped to it being to cry out in fright, but as soon as the child patted his neck, he stopped.

"It's all right, Cesar…He's not going to harm me…"

When the boy opened the door to the caravan, the puppy ran ahead and shook all the wet snow away from his fur. The boy entered first and motioned me to follow. I was afraid, for this child was a stranger, one that most likely couldn't be trusted... but I was cold and injured, therefore, I climbed inside. When the door closed behind me, the boy lit a lantern and illuminating the most beautiful home I had ever seen. It was a small caravan, but in the amount of space available, there was a kitchen, a couch, and an area with a large bed. Everything was draped in beautiful Persian rugs and blankets, making it obvious that either this child or his father had traveled the world.

"It's not much, but it's home…"

And then, before my very eyes, the boy removed his coat, revealing a blue dress…What was going on?! I backed up towards the bed in fright, but when the child removed his hat and a head of chocolate curls danced upon his shoulders, I instantly knew that this child was not a boy…No, it was a girl, a beautiful one at that…The most beautiful girl I had ever seen.

"What's wrong?"

"You're…you're not a boy?"

"What? Of course I'm not a boy. Papa always told me that if you're ever alone, it's always safer to be a boy. I don't know why that is, but I listened to him. When I'm here, I'm dressed like my regular self, but if I have to go out, then I dress like a boy and hide my hair."

"You're not a boy?" I repeated.

"No, is that a problem?"

I shook my head and sank to my knees.

"I'll be right back…"

The girl disappeared into a closet and came back out carrying a large basin and a bottle of whisky.

"Papa always told me to save a bottle of whisky…He said that it heals all wounds."

I became frightened again when the girl reached out to touch my shoulder, but after a few moments, I trusted her enough to do so.

"This might hurt, but it will be over in a few seconds…"

The girl popped my shoulder back into place, a loud cry escaping my lips. Once the pain had passed, she poured some whisky into the basin and wrung a cloth out.

"Your feet look really sore…If it's all right with you, I'll make them all better?"

When I nodded, she gently ran the soaked cloth over the bottoms of my feet. Yes, it hurt, but never had I ever had anyone kindly caring for me before. But then again, this could all turn out to be a trap…I watched her like a hawk, and when she was finished wrapping my feet in bandages, her hands pried away at the blanket that I had protectively wrapped around me.

"No…" I cried. "No!"

"All right," she gasped. "I'll…I'll leave this here for you and get you some soap to wash yourself with. Usually, papa and I bathe in the river, but in the winter, we have to give ourselves sponge baths."

The girl dropped a small bar of soap beside me and slowly backed away towards the door.

"I'm going to collect some wood for the fire…If you want clothes, you can go into the wardrobe that's on the other side of the caravan. My papa's clothes are hanging in there. You can wear anything of his that you'd like…It's not like he's ever going to need them again."

For a few more minutes, the girl watched me, and then, she made her point to leave, but not before speaking to me one final time.

"My name is Christine…"

And then the door closed, I smiled for the first time beneath that potato sack…Christine, it was such a beautiful name…A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.

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**...And you all thought this child was Nadir. Fooled you! Cute? Awesome? Did you like it? Hate it? Let me know! Thanks again everyone!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Erik's POV**

I was afraid of this girl, and I couldn't help but feel that way. I was constantly looking around as I washed myself with the soap Christine had left for me. For the first time in years, I was able to take a bath. My dirty flesh finally came clean, and when I was finished bathing, I crawled to the wardrobe and opened it to find a variety of men's shirts and trousers. Clothes! I had not worn them in years. Curious, I slipped a crisp white shirt over my head, finding that the shirt did indeed fit me. I wrapped my arms around one another as if hugging the wonderful garment. Clothes! I finally had clothes! After slipping on a pair of trousers, I bent down to cuff the legs, for they were a little long. I was warm now, finally warm and comfortable. Acting like a frightened animal, I grabbed onto the door knob of the caravan door and cracked it open, peeking out to find Christine sitting around a small fire with Toby lying at her feet.

"Come on," she cooed, standing up to face me. "Come sit by the fire. I won't hurt you…"

When I didn't move, she approached the door very slowly with something in her hand. I wasn't sure what she was carrying, for I scurried back inside.

"You must be hungry," she held out her hand to me, extending what seemed to be food of some sort. "Here, take it…"

When I didn't take the food, she placed it down in my lap and left the caravan. When she was gone, I placed the strange looking food into my mouth and chewed its strange texture. It tasted like some sort of beef, but I wasn't sure. It had been so long since I had fresh food, and this was most certainly tasty. Wanting more, I got up and slowly came out of the caravan. Christine seemed surprised over this, for she smiled and moved aside to make a spot for me to sit. She patted the space beside her and held up more of the bark looking food.

"Sit next to me…"

I was still scared, but she was feeding me, and for food, I would do just about anything. I was cautious as I sat down beside her, keeping my distance from the strange yet beautiful girl.

"Here," Once again, Christine handed me another piece and I snuck it beneath the potato sack.

"It's jerky…It's mostly all I have left. Papa stocked up before he died. It's all I've had to eat for the past month… Toby likes it too."

Jerky…That's what this strange food was called. I didn't know why they called it jerky, but I didn't care, food was food. As I lifted my head, I suddenly spotted her hand reaching out to touch the sack that was over my face. I didn't speak… No, I grabbed her hand and loudly groaned, warning her that I didn't want her to take it off.

"Oww…I'm sorry…"

"No!" I cried. "No…"

"All right, I won't touch it again. Please, don't leave me."

When I released her hand, she reached out to feed me once again. I didn't want to take the food this time, for I knew that she was trying to remove the sack from my head.

"Please take it," she begged. "I won't try to remove the sack from your head again. I promise… I only wanted to see your face."

"No," I groaned. "You don't…"

"So you do talk? I was beginning to think that you didn't know any words besides "no."

"No…"

Christine giggled and moved closer to me.

"So, I told you my name…Do you have one?"

I stayed silent, not really being sure on whether to tell Christine my name or not. As the silence continued, she shook her head and blurted out a random name.

"Charles! You look like a Charles… If you don't have a name, I'll name you Charles."

"My name isn't Charles… Besides, what would you know what a Charles looks like? You can't see my face."

"So, if your name isn't Charles, what is it?"

"E…E…Erik…"

"Erik?" she questioned, raising a brow. "You don't look like an Erik, but if that is your name, then I shall call you by it."

I hugged my knees into my chest, remembering all too well on how I got my name. My mother had wanted to name me after my father, but when she saw my face, she couldn't bear to name me after him. No, instead, she had the priest name me after him…A complete stranger! I was a no body… Suddenly, I began to cry and I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my cheeks.

"Was it something I said?"

I shook my head, only to feel the girl sitting closer to me now.

"My papa died a month ago, and my mama died giving birth to me. It's only me now…Is it only you too?"

I stuck my hand up into the sack to wipe my eyes.

"Yes…"

"What happened to your parents?"

"M…My mama didn't want me. I ran away from home."

"She didn't want you? Why? Because of your face?"

I nodded. "No one wants me."

"And your papa?"

"He died before I was born…He was in a terrible work accident. I don't want to talk about my mama anymore."

"How old are you? I'm seven…"

"Eleven."

"My papa died of a terrible illness. I'm all alone now, Erik. It's scary and I have to keep running from danger. If you want to stay with me, there is plenty of room."

I didn't answer her, for I still didn't trust this girl. I couldn't trust anyone, and it was better not to trust anyone…not after all that had happened to me. For some reason, my bottom was hurting me, so much, that I stood to my feet, only to hear Christine gasp.

"You're bleeding…"

When I saw the ground covered in a spot of my own blood, I knew where it was coming from. I knew that the abuse I had felt at the hands of my master would cause me pain and suffering for the next few weeks.

"What's wrong with you?"

When the girl tried to reach for my trousers, I backed away and covered my sore butt.

"No!"

"I only want to help you."

"You can't help me! You don't understand what I've gone through…"

"But you're bleeding!"

"The bleeding will stop when it heals…"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes…Just leave me alone!"

Christine stood there for a few moments before turning to put out the fire.

"We should go inside…I'm exhausted. Papa said it's always better to travel at night….It's safer."

Christine opened the caravan door and motioned me to enter, but I didn't want to enter. No, I wanted to stay outside.

"Come on…You have to be exhausted."

Feeling agony in my arm, I grabbed it only to have Christine hand me some sort of white bandaging.

"Here…Put this on, it's a sling."

When I wasn't sure how to put it on, Christine assisted me, my arm already feeling comfortable. Once inside the caravan, I stood there, not really knowing what to do. It might have been morning, but with how deep into the woods we were, it seemed as though it was the dead of night. Christine was over at the bed and making it up with blankets and pillows.

"Well, come on," she said, patting the bed. "Get in."

When I didn't move, Toby jumped up into the blankets and wagged his tail.

"See, even Toby is telling you to come on…"

Once more, I did not move. No, I stood there rubbing my wrapped arm.

"Are you really going to stand there all day? Come on, Erik, I'm exhausted."

Slowly I came forward and sat down on the comfortable bed. A bed! A real bed… This is what a real bed felt like. I never had a real bed, for my mother made me sleep on a patch of hay in the attic. It was cold at times and very uncomfortable.

"What are you doing?" she questioned. "Don't you know how to lay in a bed?"

"N…No… I…I never had a bed."

"Never had a bed? How could you have never had a bed? Everyone has a bed."

"Not me…" I cried. "I…I wasn't good enough to sleep in a bed."

Christine smiled and hopped up onto the bed beside me.

"Well, this is how you sleep in a bed. You crawl inside, pull the blankets over you and lay down."

Christine was yawning now. "It's really simple and comfortable. When my papa was alive, he and I slept here every night. I miss him so much…He used to tell me stories and sometimes, he sang to me. That's what he did for a living…He was a musician. We traveled to different towns and he would perform."

Like Christine did, I lay down beside her and sighed…Oh, this was indeed comfortable. I yawned and closed my eyes, feeling Toby plopping down beside me. Having Toby here made me miss my puppy Sascha… Oh, how I missed her. She had been the only thing upon this earth that didn't mind my face. My hand reached out to touch Toby, my fingers gliding through his soft fur. With that, I drifted off to sleep, finally comfortable in a real bed.

"Good night, Erik…Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bight…"

"What?"

"It's only a saying…Don't worry, there isn't any bedbugs to worry about. My papa used to say that to me every night before we went to sleep…"

With that, I fell asleep, not knowing what tonight would bring. Usually, when I slept, I never did so for long, for my nightmares would wake me. Today when I fell asleep, I saw my master! He was there! He was standing in front of me, his whip in hand and that familiar grin spreading across his face. He raised his whip and brought it down upon me as I screamed and pleaded for him to stop.

"No! Please!"

I felt the whip crack across my flesh, that same burn piercing every inch of me. Over and over again I screamed, but as I screamed, I felt hands grab a hold of my shoulders.

"Erik! Erik, wake up!"

I shot up in bed, my flesh dripping with sweat, and gasping for air.

"Erik, it was only a bad dream. You're all right…"

"I'm not all right…He's here…It's my master…He's caught up with me. We have to go! We have to go now!"

"Erik, it's all right. There isn't anyone here… You know, I used to get nightmares all the time. I used to see my mama in my dreams. I used to see her getting murdered. Finally after a lot of nightmares, my papa told me that she died giving birth to me. The nightmares eventually stopped. Your master isn't going to find you… Your master won't find us."

"Yes, he will… He won't stop until he finds me. I know this…He never stopped before, his dogs will find me. They will sniff me out!"

"You know, when I had other nightmares, my papa never stopped trying to make me feel better. He told me that dreams weren't real and that they couldn't hurt me."

"That isn't going to help…My master is real and he is coming for me…"

"My papa did something that made me feel better. I could show you what he did, if you'd like?"

I wasn't sure what she was going to do, but after I nodded, the girl wrapped her arms around me…Oh, my first hug! It felt amazing, for never before had I ever felt someone's arms wrapped around me.

"See? Now does that make you feel better?"

"Yes, it does…"

And when she broke our embrace, I wanted nothing more than to have another nightmare, so I could feel her arms around me once again…

* * *

**Aww poor Erik... Anyway, for all your reviews, I decided to update a few days early. Keep it up! Thanks again everyone...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Erik's POV**

All throughout the night, I coughed, so loudly that I couldn't help but feel as though I couldn't breathe. When I woke the following morning, I found that I couldn't bear to get out of bed.

"You're really sick…"

When I heard that wonderful, yet familiar voice, I opened my eyes to find Christine standing at my bedside.

"You don't sound good at all…Papa didn't leave me with much, but I do think that there is some herbal leaves in his tea jar. I could brew you a drink that will make you feel better?"

No one had ever cared for me before when I was ill. When I lived with my mother, she always locked me in my bedroom. Once, I had become so ill, that I begged for her comfort, only to be beaten instead. But this girl…She barely knew me, and yet, she was offering to make me a drink. When I nodded, I plopped back down against the pillows while I listened to her rummaging around the caravan.

"It will only be a moment," she replied, placing a kettle on the small stove. "This will warm your insides."

I was shivering, so much that Christine must have noticed, for she ran to my side and tucked the blankets over my bare feet that were sticking over the side of the bed.

"There you go…"

Toby, being the wonderful animal that he was, sat himself down over my tucked in feet to keep me warm.

"Good doggy…" Christine said, patting him on his fluffy head. "Keep our new friend warm."

When the kettle began to whistle, Christine poured the substance into a mug and carried it over to me. Yes, the potato sack that was covering my head was disabling me from drinking it, but I wasn't about to remove it.

"How are you going to drink it if the sack is over your head?" she curiously questioned. "You know, you would be able to breathe easier if you didn't wear it."

When I saw her hands reaching out to touch the sack, I cried and moved away from her.

"Sorry…But what's wrong with you anyway?"

"I…I'm ugly…" I mewed, wrapping my unusually long fingers around the mug.

"Oh…"

There was a long pause, and then, Christine left the caravan. A few stray tears fell down my cheeks as I looked down at my drink and lifted the end of the sack up in order to drink the delicious remedy. Yes, my lips were deformed as well, but revealing my lips was better than my entire face. When I was finished with my drink, I lay back down against the pillows and closed my eyes. Not only did I have a terrible fever, but my bottom still ached.

When I awoke, I still felt sick, but the drink had made my insides warm. I snuggled into my pillow and rolled over, only to find something white lying there. Curious, I picked up the soft object, turning it over to find that it was a hand sewn mask! It would cover my entire face without having to cover my head. I hugged it to my chest and cried, for my mother had once made me a mask, but when I began to outgrow it, she never altered it for me. No, she forced me to wear the small child mask, causing my poor flesh to form scars and blisters that bled. Oh, bless Christine, for she was an angel sent straight from heaven. I looked around to make sure that she wasn't present before pulling off the potato sack and placing the new garment over my head. Oh, it was soft…So soft and comfortable. It fit like a glove!

"It fits…"

I gasped when I heard her voice, only to look up and find her coming through the doorway.

"I…I hope you like it. Papa had some felt left over and I thought it would be more comfortable."

"Y…You made this for me?"

She nodded. "I used to repair my papa's torn clothing, so sewing a mask for you was really not hard at all. It was just felt and a shoelace…"

"T…Thank you."

"Oh, you have black hair."

Christine got closer to me and ran her fingers through my long strands of hair.

"Your hair is really long…When was the last time you had a haircut?"

"H…Haircut?"

"I'm guessing that you never had a haircut before?"

"Mama never cut my hair… Master never cared to do it either…"

Christine smiled and once again she went rummaging through a nearby drawer, pulling out a pair of scissors. The moment I saw the flash of silver, I gasped and backed up against the wall. Flashbacks of my master stabbing and whipping me began to play out within my head, causing me to become frightened.

"What? It's only scissors, Erik…They can't hurt you. It's only to cut your hair…trust me."

As afraid as I was, I sat up and allowed her to start clipping my locks. I was relieved to find that it didn't hurt and when she was finished, I felt ten pounds lighter. The girl cleaned up the hair and handed me a mirror, the one object that I had come to both admire and fear.

"How do you like it? I'm not perfect at cutting hair yet, but I'm starting to get the hang of it…"

For the first time in my life, I felt handsome, for my hair now resembled the style of most European men. My mask was also perfect, for it covered every inch of my deformity except for my bloated bottom lip. Though, Christine didn't seem to mind, for she never brought up its puffiness or discolourment.

"You look handsome," she replied. "That's much better than that potato sack."

"You like the mask better?"

Christine nodded. "It's better."

Toby jumped on me and began to lick my chin.

"And I think Toby likes it too, Erik…"

When I began to cough, Christine took away the potato sack and helped me back into bed.

"You should be resting now. Tonight we will be moving out…Papa always said that staying in the same place for too long was dangerous."

When I was comfortable once again, Christine plopped down at my feet and tucked me in.

"You know, when I was sick, my papa always took great care of me. He would make me that tea I made you earlier, and he would sit at my bedside just as I am doing now. I miss him, you know? He's only been gone a month, but everyday it gets harder and harder. Do you miss your mama?"

"No…She…She didn't want me."

"She didn't want you? How could any mother not want their child, no matter their appearance? That is their flesh and blood… If I was your mama, I would be happy to have you as a son."

"Y…You don't even know me," I cried. "You don't know what I am."

"I know enough to know that you are a very kind person, Erik. I'm happy to be able to call you my friend. It's only been Toby and I since my papa died, and now that I found you, I want you to promise me that we will always be friends."

"Forever?" I questioned. "You want to be friends forever?"

Christine held out her hand. "For life…"

I interlaced my hand with her own and shook it, knowing that I would dedicate the rest of my life to protecting this girl from danger. I would never let any harm come her way, for she had saved my life and took me in when no one else would.

"For life," I repeated.

"Do you know what else my papa did when he would sit by my bedside?"

I shook my head.

"My papa used to play for me… He played the violin."

"Your father was a violinist?"

Christine nodded. "Yes, that's what he did when we traveled from city to city. He performed and I would collect the money. I can't play the violin, but before my papa died, he was teaching me how to sing. I could sing for you…If you want? It's all right if you don't want me to sing. I'm not really that good…"

"I would love to hear you sing. Music has been my life, it's all I have ever known. When I lived with my mama, if I was good, she would let me have an hour a day to play the piano."

"You play the piano?"

"Yes, I taught myself."

"Well, we obviously don't own a piano…It would be a tight squeeze in the caravan."

Christine laughed, and I couldn't help but giggle as well. Never once had I ever laughed before, for there was never anything to be happy over. A piano in the caravan? Now that would be an interesting sight.

"So, would you like to hear me sing?" she questioned.

"I would…I always wanted to go to church and listen to the choir. It was one of the many reasons why I always wanted to go, but my mama never let me go with her."

Christine gasped. "You never went to church?"

I shook my head.

"Oh, papa and I are very religious…Well, he was before he died and I'm still serious about it. No matter what city we were in, he always made sure that we went. Oh, Erik, I've been to many beautiful churches since I was born. In Rome, there were ones that made a little town church seem like the slums. Beautiful and colorful windows and humongous ceilings…"

"Architecture is something that highly interests me…"

Christine grabbed my hands and smiled. "I'll tell you what…Every city that we wind up going to, I'll take you to their service. That way, you can see and hear all of God's beauty…How does that sound? That is a promise that I can keep…"

I sighed just thinking about it. Finally after so many years upon this earth I would be able to see and hear the choir, listen to the service and find out what this God was all about. And with Christine at my side, I would feel confident enough to sit among the crowds."

"I like this promise of yours…That is, if you can keep it? Mama used to make promises to me all the time, but in the end, she never went through with any of them. I used to be excited at first, but after being let down so many times, I eventually forgot about it. When she would make a promise, I wouldn't listen to her, for she was only talking to calm me down…"

Christine quickly wrapped her arms around my frail body and hugged me. Oh, another hug…What did I do to deserve something as special as this?

"I promise, Erik… You know how I know that I won't break this promise to you?"

Once more, I shook my head.

"Because papa always told me to never make a promise unless I could keep it. In church, God also tells us to never lie. Lying is a sin, and therefore, I never lie."

"Then, if this God tells us to never lie, then I won't lie either."

"That's good to know. So, I'll ask you again…Would you like to hear me sing?"

"Yes, it would make me feel better."

"Well, you have to lay back against the blankets and close your eyes."

I did as I was told and closed my eyes, and when I heard her begin to sing, my heart stopped within my chest. She was humming at first, but when she began to sing, it was as if an angel were singing...Pure beauty!…I had never heard anyone sing before, and for her to be my first, it made the moment the more special.

"You're beautiful…" I blurted out.

Christine stopped singing and seemed taken back by my words.

"What?"

"The song…Your voice…" I corrected. "It's beautiful."

Christine only blushed and continued with her song…She was perfect in every way, voice and all and I promised to always protect this angel, this songbird, for she was my salvation.

* * *

**Awwww...I believe Erik is starting to fall. Anyway, I'm updating early because I'm going on vacation tomorrow and won't be able to update until 06/29. So, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I am going to see Yeston and Kopit's Phantom! Finally! It's so rare that the show comes around at all, let alone near me. Camping and Phantom it is! Catch you all next week! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Erik's POV**

My illness took a turn for the worse, especially when Christine attempted to move the caravan. Between my terrible fever and the slight swaying of the caravan, it left me vomiting into the chamber pot that she kept beneath the bed. By daybreak, the caravan finally stopped moving and I was happy for that.

"You don't look well, Erik," Christine said as soon as she walked into the caravan. "You're so pale…"

Christine dabbed my forehead with a cool, damp cloth and began to hum.

"You look like my papa did right before he died."

"I…I just need to rest is all." I lightly groaned. "Just rest…"

"I'd offer you some soup, but I don't think jerky soup is going to be that tasty. There is a town nearby and I was going to go find us something to eat once night falls. I could find you some medicine too…"

"It's too dangerous," I cooed. "What if someone spotted you?"

"I can't take you into town, Erik. It's too dangerous… If I found a doctor, he wouldn't heal you without an adult being present. If they found out that my papa died, they would send both of us to an orphanage."

I knew Christine would have found me help if she could have done it without putting herself in danger.

"It's…It's ok…" I breathlessly gasped. "I'll be…I'll be all right once I rest."

I wasn't sure if I would be all right, for my insides felt as though they were dying. My lungs were filled with fluid, for I couldn't bear to breathe deeply. So, when Christine left, I closed my eyes and let sleep over take me.

**Christine's POV**

I was worried about losing my new friend. When my papa died, he was pale and weak, just like Erik looked now. I knew if I didn't do something for my friend, he would die, and then I would be alone again. After collecting some firewood for that night, I entered the caravan to see Erik lying lifelessly on the bed. We didn't have anything to eat besides jerky, and I knew jerky wasn't going to make him feel better.

"Come on, Toby," I said, donning my jacket and hat. "We have to go into town and find something to make Erik feel better."

My papa always told me that stealing was a sin, but what was I to do without money? I couldn't go begging for it, for if I was spotted, I would be thrown into the nearest orphanage. I knew sooner or later I would have to come up with another way of getting money, but for now, I would steal…

Usually, I didn't pay any mind to the towns we visited, but as I walked into the small village, I couldn't help but notice that the sign read "Freginsville." It was filled with small cottages and buildings that were written out in a language that I didn't understand. I didn't care about the spelling or the pronunciation… All I cared about at the moment was finding the one thing we needed, which was food. Toby trailed at my feet as we searched the small town for any signs of carts that sold breads and meats.

"Toby, do you see somewhere that would have medicine?"

I didn't see anything that we needed, and as the moments passed, I began to wonder if I should ask around. That's when I spotted it…A cart set up beside a building. There were fruits and loaves of bread lining each shelf. Though, it was the man selling the items that frightened me. He was large and muscular.

"All right, Toby…" I said. "Get the man away from the cart."

Like we did in most villages, Toby ran up to the cart and began to circle the man's feet. When the man bent down to pet him, Toby grabbed a string of his sausages and went running down the road. Like always, the man shouted and went chasing after him, giving me enough time to load my coat up with apples, meats and a few loaves of bread. With my coat full, I went running away and just as the man came back. When he saw me, he began yelling, but I was already out of the village. Some food dropped out of my coat, but I didn't have time to go back and pick it up. I needed to hurry before I was caught. When I was back at the caravan, I entered the caravan and dropped the food on the table. A few seconds later, I heard barking, and opened the door so that Toby could enter.

"Sorry, Toby… I almost forgot about you."

The loyal puppy dropped the string of sausages at my feet and I patted his head.

"Good job, Toby…"

My papa had taught me everything there was to know about cooking, and with all this food, I was able to cook a beef stew. When everything was ready, I made Erik up a bowl and approached his bedside with it.

**Erik's POV**

"Erik…"

I had been asleep, but when I heard Christine's voice, I opened my eyes to find her standing at my bedside. I was so weak that I couldn't even lift my head. I sighed and closed my eyes again, knowing that I was most likely on death's door. But why take me now? I had begged for death time and time again when I was being tortured at the hands of my master, but never once was I ever spared. But now that I finally found someone I could trust, now I would die. God was an evil creature at times.

"I made you something to eat…" Christine said, taking a spoonful of the liquid and placing it up to my lips.

"I…I can't move my body," I confessed. "I…I can't even breathe."

"Here, let me help you…"

The girl gently lifted my head and propped it up on the pillows that were behind it. From there, she began to spoon feed me the delicious and meaty stew.

"W…Where did you get the food from?"

"The village," she said. "Toby and me were a team. He distracted the man that was selling the food at a cart and when he was away I was able to snatch all the food."

"I…I…might not have ever been to church, but I know that stealing is a sin in the eyes of your God…"

Christine's smile faded and she looked down at the food.

"God does forgive, Erik. Believe me, I wouldn't steal if I didn't have to steal. I don't have any money and I can't risk getting sent to an orphanage. I hear terrible things about those places, you know… My papa once told me that orphanages are places where they traffic children."

"Trafficking?" I questioned. "What's that?"

"It's anything that involves selling people against their will. My papa once told me about how people trafficked slaves from Africa. When he spoke about trafficking children, I asked him about it and he told me it's a terrible thing. He said they sell children to men who do terrible things to them. I don't ever want to go to an orphanage, Erik…"

"Y…You won't have to go," I promised. "I won't ever let anyone harm you, Christine."

"You promise?"

"I promise…And when I make promises, I don't ever break them. But we do need to find another way of making money. We'll do it together."

"If you get better…" she pouted. "I couldn't find anywhere that had medicine. It's all my fault…"

"No, it's not your fault…Just let me rest, Christine."

"Do you want me to sing to you? Would that make you feel better?"

Knowing that I couldn't stand another bite of food, I closed my eyes and listened to her soft, yet comforting voice sing to me. She said she would pray that I get better, but I knew it would take more than praying to get me well again. I fell asleep that night, gasping for breath most of the time.

I woke that evening, and wrapped a blanket around my body. My arm was still in a sling, but I managed to approach a shelf that had a few books on it and pulled one off. I couldn't bear to lie there anymore, and reading always helped me through tough times in my childhood. It had been three years since I last touched a book, and now that I finally had one in my hands again, I couldn't help but feel excited. As bad as my mother was, she always allowed me to read…She told me time and time again that she wouldn't allow me to grow up stupid. After crawling back into bed, I opened the book and found that this wasn't a usual book with words…No, this was a book with pictures.

"Oh, you're still up?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I looked up to find her coming back into the caravan with two liquid filled mugs.

"I made some tea…I was just bringing you a cup. If I saw that you were asleep, I was going to leave it on the table for you. I have a hard time sleeping most nights. Ever since my papa died, I really haven't slept well."

"I couldn't sleep either."

Christine handed me a cup and I took a sip of the herbal tasting drink.

"I'm sorry if it's a little strong. I made sure I put lots of herbs in yours. I thought it would help with your cough. Once when I was sick, my papa went out into the woods and picked some grass and a few other things, crushed them up and put them in a tea. I tasted your tea, I hope you don't mind…It doesn't taste like his drink. It's a little strong."

"Strong is good," I said. "Maybe it will help… Thank you, Christine."

When the girl noticed that I had her book in my lap, she smiled and crawled beneath the blankets with me.

"Oh, good… Are you going to tell me a story? Papa used to tell me stories all the time. We have lots and lots of books to choose from. I…I don't know how to read. Papa tried to teach me, but he died before I could read to him. He bought me that book for my birthday… It's a picture book and you're supposed to look at the pictures and make up a story."

"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard…"

"No, it's really fun…Like this," Christine took the book from my hand and flipped to a random page, one that had a picture of a scary monster.

"I once told my papa this story. You see, this is a monster and he was hated by everyone around because they thought he would tear them apart. But one day this girl decided to go talk to the scary monster because she thought there was more to him than everyone told her…"

"And? What happened?"

Christine smiled. "He tore her apart…"

I had hoped for a happy ending, but there wasn't one to be told. What was I expecting? I too was a monster, one that would never live in peace.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied. "Nothing…"

"Erik, could I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Let me see your face…"

I looked down at the picture of the scary monster and shook my head.

"I can't, Christine…"

"And why not?"

"Because, like this monster, you would also be afraid of me. You're kind and you're the only person I have been able to trust. I don't want that to change… Not now, not ever…"

There was a long pause, and then, Christine placed the book into my lap.

"Just because in my story the girl gets torn apart doesn't mean that it has to happen in your story, Erik…You can make up anything that you want….So, tell me your version of the story."

"I don't have one to tell…Not now…"

"Well, when you think of one, I want you to tell it to me…"

Christine, she was so innocent and extremely understanding… Oh, I couldn't imagine life without her in it…

* * *

**I'm Back! Just got back actually... Decided that you all have waited long enough. But my vacation was awesome. Saw Yeston and Kopit's Phantom. Now, I seen the movie with Charles Dance, but DAMN! That was one of the most incredible musicals I have ever seen. Makes me kinda wish that it was on Broadway. Besides that I did a ghost hunt in the West Virginia State Prison. Not going to lie, it was the scariest 2 hours of my life. I never thought ghosts were real...Until I heard doors slamming shut and footsteps coming from down the hall when it was only me in the prison. Not only that, but I flashed my camera when I thought I felt something, only to look later on my camera and spot the figure of a man standing behind me...Freaked out, but hey, awesome time! Glad to be back...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Erik's POV**

"Erik…"

I groaned in my sleep when I heard someone calling my name.

"Erik…"

I opened my eyes, only to find my master standing over me. He had his whip in hand and was raising it over his head. I screamed, only to feel the sting from its tip against my shoulder.

"Erik! Erik, wake up!"

I jolted awake, sweat pouring down my face as I sat up to find Christine standing over me. I concentrated on breathing while she approached the bucket of drinking water we kept in the kitchen and filled a cup.

"Erik, you were screaming in your sleep. I heard you outside and came running in as soon as I heard you."

My shaky hands wrapped themselves around the glass as I slowly sipped on the cold water. It had been a few days since I had escaped the gypsy camp, and yet, I still couldn't get the thought of my master out of my head. My illness was getting a little better, but I was still having trouble breathing. I had survived before and I knew I would survive again.

"Erik, are you all right?"

I nodded and stood to place own my cloak.

"You used the last of the water," I said. "I'm going to walk down to the river and refill the bucket."

I took the empty bucket and walked to the door, opening it to find the surrounding area covered in a heap of snow. Yes, it was cold, but I needed the fresh air. I walked until I reached the frozen river where I broke away some of the ice in order to fill the bucket. Though, as I was doing so, I couldn't help but hear a few far away voices. I instantly raised my head and looked in the direction that they were coming from. Curious, I placed the filled bucket aside and went to explore, following the voices. I walked around the area of water and found a patch of tall bushes. I could hear the voices now more than ever…They were so close. I crept down into the brush and lifted my head just enough to see over one of the bushes. My heart stopped within my chest the moment I raised my head and found the familiar gypsy camp set up. I gasped and pressed my eyes closed, wishing that I could be anywhere but here. The familiar sight of colorful tents and caravans sent a pain down my spine, one that would leave me numb for days. I had to wake up… This had to be a dream. I wanted to pinch myself and wake, but I knew this was far from being a dream.

Suddenly, I heard the barking of my master's dogs and I lifted my head once again to find that they were chained to a nearby tree but were barking because they could smell my scent. My body began to shake and I backed up, only to fell the ice of the river breaking beneath my feet. I ran…Oh, how I ran. I grabbed the bucket of water and ran right back to the caravan. We needed to leave! We needed to get away before the gypsies found me once again! I knew if they caught Christine, they would do horrible and unspeakable things to her.

"Erik, what's wrong?"

"We…We have to go…"

I grabbed her arm and pulled her to the front seat of her caravan.

"We need to get far away from here and we need to do it now. My…My master is on to me. He's following me."

Christine didn't say another word and we packed up camp as quickly as we could. When the girl noticed that I was shivering, she forced me back inside while she relocated our caravan. I knew we could never stop now…I knew that we needed to keep moving in order to stay safe. My weak body tossed and turned on the bed as the caravan swayed back and forth. The familiar pain in my stomach returned, that pain being from when I used to get sick from being in my cage. The constant swaying churned my stomach to no end and left me with my face in the chamber pot.

We traveled for hours…And when the caravan came to a complete stop, my mind began to wonder where we were. A few moments later, the door to the caravan swung open and Christine entered. Her smile faded when she noticed the mess I had made of myself and quickly went to cleaning it up.

"We're safe now, Erik…"

I pulled my knees into my chest and shook my head over and over again.

"N…No….No, no no…We will never be safe. He's after me and he won't stop until he's found me. He wants to do horrible things to me again. He wants to trap me…"

Christine sat down beside me and wrapped her arms around my torso.

"I won't let him get you, Erik… I promise. I found a cave and its opening is covered with weeds. We're safe now. We won't move again until we come up with a plan on where to go. Please come outside…It will be warmer once I start a fire."

But I didn't want to move… I wanted to stay put until I felt safe enough to do otherwise.

"All right then," she sighed. "Perhaps a little later."

I didn't feel comfortable going out of the caravan and therefore, I didn't. Toby crawled into my lap and began to lick my face. I was frightened, so frightened that I buried myself beneath the blankets of Christine's bed and stayed there for hours.

"You're really not coming out, are you?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I shook my head and closed my eyes.

"Well, if you're not going to come out, could I at least come in there with you?"

When I didn't say anything, Christine crawled into the fort of blankets I had created and lit a small lantern, and placed it in between us.

"This reminds me of the tree fort my papa built for me back in Sweden. It wasn't much, but to me, it was like a castle in the sky."

I didn't say anything…No, I only pulled my knees closer to my chest.

"Some nights, my papa would make a fort of blankets like this when it was storming outside. You see, the lightning scares me, but when my papa entertained me, I forgot all about it."

"W…What did he do?" I questioned.

"We played "Shadow Puppets."

"Shadow what?"

Without another word, Christine began to move her hands in front of the light. She giggled and I could make out a spider against the blanket.

"The itsy bitsy spider, ran up the water spout, down came the rain and washed the spider out… Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again."

I smiled as her beautiful voice filled my heart with joy.

"My papa used to sing that to me."

"What other songs did he sing to you?"

Christine paused for a moment before making her hands into another shadow. When I looked at the blanket, I noticed that she was making what looked to be a sheep.

"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb… Mary had a little lamb with fleece as white as snow. The lamb followed Mary to school one day, school one day, school one day. The lamb followed Mary to school one day and that was not allowed."

I could have sat there all night and listened to her sing… She had the voice of an angel and I would simply never tire of her singing.

"So, Erik… I sang you two nursery rhymes. Can you sing me some?"

"I…I don't know any."

"How could you not know any nursery rhymes?"

I just looked down at my feet, knowing that my tutor never taught me any. No, the only thing he ever taught me were stories about God and some basic math. I had to teach myself to read and write…He never had the time to teach me anything like that.

"Well, you said you know music didn't you?"

I nodded. "My mama had a piano in our family room. She would let me play for an hour if I was good."

"Well, I have a surprise for you then…"

Christine went rummaging beneath the bed and brought out a case of some sort. From there, she dusted it off and opened the lid. There, inside the case was the most beautiful violin I had ever seen. I always wanted to play the violin, but my mama wouldn't purchase one for me. Christine pulled the instrument out of the case and held the end of it up to her chin.

"You hold it like this…And then, you take this bow and run it along the strings. I don't know how to play it. My papa was going to teach me, but he died before he ever got the chance."

Next thing I knew, Christine was placing the fragile instrument into my arms.

"What do you want me to do with this?" I questioned. "I…I don't want to break it."

"No, I don't want you to break it either. I want you to play it. Oh, please say that you will play it for me, Erik!"

"I…I don't know how to play the violin," I began. "I only know how to play the piano."

"Well this can't be much harder. At least try to play something."

I was nervous, but I placed the violin up to my chin and began to run the bow along the strings. It made a strange sound at first, a sound that nearly frightened me into thinking that I was breaking it. But as the moments passed, I began to get the hang of it and before I knew it, I was playing random notes and forming them into music.

"You're doing it!" Christine cried. "You really are doing it."

I smiled and placed the instrument down into my lap.

"It was just a few random notes… It's nothing."

"My papa always told me that random notes are a start. I would love to hear music again…Music from the violin. I'll let you play it any time you want if you promise to play for me when you learn some new songs."

"I…I promise."

After placing the violin back into its case, I noticed that Christine was yawning. It was getting late, and I too was becoming tired again.

"I think we should try to sleep. Tomorrow is Sunday and I want to go to church. You will go to church with me tomorrow, right?"

"If you want me to…"

"I do. You said it yourself that you've never been in a church before."

"Then I will go with you."

Christine placed the case beneath the bed and laid down beside me with the blankets still over our heads.

"Well, aren't you going to lay down too?"

I looked around and then lay down beside Christine. With Toby nestled at our feet, I closed my eyes, feeling better now that Christine was beside me.

"Erik?"

"Yes, Christine?"

"I'm really glad that I met you…"

"I'm really glad that I met you too."

"You know, before my papa died, he promised that he would send me the angel of music. I think you are that angel."

"Me? An angel? I never thought about it that way before."

"Well, you can play music and to me, you're an angel."

"I'm glad that I met you too, Christine. You came to me in a time of great need. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"I'm glad I helped you, Erik… No one deserves to be in a cage, especially a human being."

Christine wrapped her arms around me and sighed.

"Goodnight, Erik, my angel of music."

I sighed…I was finally happy at last.

* * *

**Ok, I updated early as a treat for the 4th! Go crazy... Anyway, a few of you had asked me to start skipping further into their lives unless there is another major plot point coming up. I will tell you this. It's going to start going ahead, but not for a few chapters because something big is coming up soon... I plan on having this story start out with their childhood and then progressing it to their teens, and then adulthood. So please, hold on there for a little while and I promise you will enjoy what I have planned for this story. Thanks again everyone, and please, don't forget to review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Ok, usually, I do the Author Note at the end of the chapter, but I switched it up for this one, because this chapter comes with a warning label. A few of you don't like it when I don't warn you about a chapter's content. This is the last terrible chapter, because the rest of my story's chapters really don't go past PG:13. There may be a chapter or two that I may have to put another warning label on, but other than that, I shall keep the notes at the end of the chapters. For those of you who don't want to read this, you can scroll down until you see the line break. From there, it's safe to read. For those of you who do want to read, go ahead... I will be going into the future soon, but there is one more plot to be revealed in the next chapter before I switch things up. So, enjoy and please don't forget to drop me a review! Thanks again, everyone.**

* * *

**Erik's POV**

"Erik…"

When I heard Christine calling my name, I opened my eyes to find her gently shaking my shoulder. I yawned and sat up, finding that she was dressed for church. She was wearing a beautiful dress, one that was a strange shade of blue and green.

"Erik, we're going to be late for church."

I sat up and watched as she rummaged through her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of black trousers and a crisp white shirt.

"Here, put this on."

Christine turned her back and I quickly dressed. Afterwards, Christine handed me a black vest and buttoned it for me.

"There, you look very handsome."

My shoulder was still giving me pain and when Christine noticed, she gently placed my arm into a sling.

"That should keep you comfortable, dear Erik…"

"W…What if people stare?"

"In church, everyone is equal. God was the one who made cripples walk and blind men see. Come, we're going to be late."

At the same time I was both nervous and excited. All I ever begged of my mother was for her to take me to one service and she never did. Town wasn't a far walk at all, for within twenty minutes of walking through the woods, it cleared and we were in town.

"There it is, Erik…"

Christine pointed ahead to a church, one that was more beautiful than I had ever seen. It wasn't extravagant, but it did have a bell tower at the top, one that was ringing out that it was nearly time for service. I couldn't help but feel as though there were eyes watching me, but I continued to look straight ahead. Once inside, Christine dragged me to the very back pew and told me to kneel.

"We have to pray now…"

Yes, Christine bowed her head, but I was too busy looking around the beautiful church. It amazed me that man could create something so wonderful. The sights and sounds of the area made my heart leap with happiness. Christine had told me to pray, but the only thing I could think to pray about was her… I thanked god for her! For the first time in my life, I listened to the pastor and his service. He spoke about forgiveness and how the truth would set us free. I must have knelt down at least six times during the service and there was even music! I eyed the beautiful organ up and down and wanted nothing more than to get my hands on it. I was in heaven…

"I wish we could come here every Sunday," I said as the service ended. "I would love to play that organ for the services."

"Perhaps someday you can," Christine began. "But right now we shouldn't be seen too much. It would draw unwanted attention. Maybe when we're eighteen."

"Eighteen can't come fast enough," I sighed. "If I were eighteen now, I would never let anyone harm you, Christine. You know that, right? I wouldn't let anyone take you away from me… I might not be a man, but I promise to never let us get separated. Wherever you go, I go…"

Christine smiled. "Do you know what my papa and me did after church?"

"No, what?"

"He would take me out for breakfast."

"I am a little hungry…"

"Well, when we get back, I can make us something… It's not as nice as going out, but it will have to do for the time being."

We were approaching the door to the church now and were currently caught up in the crowds. I had been holding onto Christine's hand, but when someone accidently bumped into me, we became separated and she got moved a few rows ahead of me. Knowing that we would meet up outside, I did not panic. Once I was standing out on the slab of pavement that was in front of the church, I looked around for her… Only, instead of chocolate locks, I came face to face with one of my master's dogs… I'd know them anywhere! They were lying up against a nearby tree, waiting…I gasped and attempted to back away without being noticed, but my scent had already caught on to them.

I ran… Oh, how I ran. I ran right out of town and into the woods as I heard them trailing behind me. The barking began and soon, I heard the voice of my master egging them on. What about Christine? If she were caught, I would never forgive myself. Suddenly, I tripped and fell to the ground, my trousers becoming torn and dirty. I cried as I attempted to scramble to my feet, but one of my master's dogs jumped on me and clamped its powerful jaw around my neck. I gasped for air, but it was no use, for I was going to be suffocated in a matter of moments.

"Ah, there is my little corpse…"

My master was standing right over me now, his whip in hand.

"I knew I would find you sooner or later…And what is this? Clothes?"

My master tore away every scrap of clothing I had on besides my mask. When I was completely naked, he ordered his dog to release me. I coughed and could feel the bite marks around my neck, but I didn't dare move… I couldn't, even if I tried.

"You ran away from me, corpse… Fleeing is punishable by lashing."

I was pushed on my stomach and I felt the first crack of his whip against my back. I cried and tried to crawl away, but his whip was already lashing my bottom. Over and over again I felt his whip come down upon me.

"You're ruined, my friend… I have a new act, one that brings me more money in one night than you ever did in a week. But Javert wasn't going to let you go without a price…"

When I heard the buttons of his trousers being released, I panicked and began to scramble away. But it was no use… The powerful man grabbed my shoulders and forced himself upon me once again. It was painful… More painful than any of the other times. I knew he wasn't doing this for his own pleasure… No, he was doing this to damage me. He wanted to cause me pain. He wanted me to suffer for everything. I screamed and cried, but his force only became more powerful. And when he was finished, he turned me over and brought his whip down upon my own private area…again and again until I could no longer feel anything. As I lay dying, the man grabbed me by the hair and pulled me close to him.

"I'm done with you, corpse…You're nothing but damaged goods now. You will remember this day for the rest of your pathetic life."

For hours after my master left, I lay there in the woods bleeding out from my wounds and from the damage my master had done to me.

"Erik…"

I heard a faint voice and then the familiar barking from Toby.

"Erik, where are you?!"

I couldn't let her see me like this… I couldn't let Christine find me broken and bleeding. When I felt Toby's tongue licking my mask, I looked up to find Christine approaching me.

"Erik…"

The girl was sobbing, but she had not gone untouched. Her once beautiful dress was torn and her face was gushing blood.

"Christine…" I pushed myself up and looked at her… No! Javert had hurt her too.

"Christine, what did he…what did he do to you?"

"Nothing…He…He hit me when I tried to stop him from chasing you..."

I was furious, but I was glad nothing more had been done to her. I hated the man for touching me, but seeing Christine damaged was a sight I couldn't bear to look at. I vowed to find the man and get my revenge. He would hurt me no longer…This was not over…

"Erik, you're bleeding really bad…"

Christine took off her cloak and wrapped it around my bare shoulders. I would never trust anyone besides her again. No one would ever hurt us… I limped back to the caravan and Christine filled a basin up with hot water. She insisted that she help me, but I didn't want her to see the damage my master had done to me.

"Are you sure?"

"Just….Just leave me…" I cried. "I don't want your help."

When Christine left the caravan, I scrambled for the basin of soapy water. I pulled off my mask and looked down into the pool of clear liquid, my hideous appearance staring back at me. I was a monster…I pressed my eyes closed and sobbed as I washed the blood away. And when I was finished, I found that I couldn't even bear to walk because of how sore I was. This would be the last time anyone would ever touch me again. I wouldn't let anyone hurt me…I wouldn't let anyone hurt Christine. I wasn't going to be soft anymore. The world was cruel and therefore, I needed to be the same way. After changing into something more comfortable, I wiped away my tears and crawled into bed, finding salvation and comfort in the small violin Christine kept beneath the bed. I hugged the instrument close to me and began to play… I wasn't perfect, but I was getting used to playing the delicate violin.

A little while later, Christine entered the caravan and without a word, she cuddled up beside me and stayed silent as I played on. We had both been hurt today, and it would be the first and last time it would ever happen.

"We need to make money," I said. "We can't continue to steal. Someone will eventually catch on and it will cause us problems."

"What should we do?"

Already, I had an idea conjuring in my head. We would travel from city to city and make an honest living. I would play the violin and Christine would sing or dance. I would keep my eyes on her and keep us out of harm's way. When I explained everything to her, she was already excited. I never had a friend, but after finding Christine I knew she was the only one I ever needed in my life.

* * *

"Toby, keep up, boy…"

After that horrible night, I spent the next several weeks recuperating and getting Christine and I prepared for what would become the rest of our lives. I practiced the violin day and night and when I was finished with that, I trained Christine. We traveled far away from where we were attacked and wound up somewhere in Italy. It was spring now…Spring and finally warm. Toby was no longer a small puppy with big feet… No, he had grown and was nearly an adult. The loyal animal loved me and I loved him. There wasn't anywhere that he wouldn't follow me.

"Toby, keep up!" I cried, as I ran through the streets of the small village we had arrived in. Tomorrow was Christine's birthday and I wanted to do something special for her. She had cared for me when no one would and now that we were closer than ever, I wanted to surprise her. Toby ran behind me, attempting to catch up, but it wasn't any use, for I was faster than he was.

"Hurry!"

When I arrived at a strip of shops, I looked in the windows that were filled with displayed toys and other items.

"What do you think?" I questioned. "What do you think Christine would like?"

The dog put his paws up against the window and barked when he noticed a beautiful china doll dressed in a Victorian gown. I knew Christine would love it, but when I searched for the price tag and saw the price the shop wanted for it, I knew I didn't have enough. From out of my pocket, I pulled out the three Euros and sighed.

"Three down, only twelve more to go…I wish I had enough to give her the world, Toby…"

I would get Christine this doll. Come hell or high water, she would have it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Erik's POV**

"Christine deserves the world, Toby…" I said as we walked through town and back towards the caravan. "She deserves to be living in a palace somewhere. I want to give her that palace, Toby…"

When we arrived back, I found Christine still soundly asleep. The endless performances had tired her out and I didn't blame her. I had only known Christine for a few weeks, but I knew that I would spend the rest of my life protecting her.

"Christine…" I lightly shook her shoulder, only to have her open her eyes. She smiled as soon as she saw me… Could you believe that? Smiled! I sighed every time I saw it, for I knew she was smiling because she was happy to see me.

"Good morning, dear Erik…"

"It's getting late," I said. "We should get ready. The city is going to get busy in a while. Time is money…"

When Christine was dressed, she and I headed towards town with Toby following behind us. Like usual, I played the violin and Christine sang…Oh, how she sang. Everyone seemed to stop and watch my beautiful song bird. And when she was finished singing, the empty violin case was filled with coins. I knew one day she would be a famous diva…She deserved to be singing in opera houses, not on the streets of Italy.

"Eight, nine, ten…" I counted the francs, while Christine packed up our tiny display. I sighed, for it still wasn't enough to purchase food and a doll for Christine's birthday.

"Is something wrong, dearest Erik?"

"No, nothing…" I lied as I trailed behind her. Though, a few steps later, I tripped and fell from an untied shoelace.

"Erik!"

I held up my hand in protest and motioned her to continue heading back to the caravan. With her still trailing along, I began to tie my shoe, only to hear someone calling my name.

"Erik?"

I gasped, for I knew that voice anywhere…But it couldn't be… When I dared to turn around to face the source of the voice, I was right. There, standing behind me was my mother. It had been nearly four years since I ran away from home and yet, here she was. I didn't say two words to the woman. No, I quickly gathered up my things and continued to hurry back towards the caravan. She hated me…the woman had abused me, called me horrible names!

"Erik, please… Don't run!"

Knowing that she wasn't going to leave me alone, I grabbed a nearby stick and turned around, pointing it at the woman.

"Stay back," I growled. "Don't come any closer…"

"Erik…" the woman had tears in her eyes as she stood before me. But why? Why was she crying?

"Wh…What's happened to you? You look ill…"

The woman tried to take a few steps forward, but I continued to threaten her with the stick.

"Not another step," I barked. "I won't think twice about hitting you with it. Though, once doesn't compare to the hundreds of times you struck me."

"Erik, I…I just wish to talk to you. You're my son…"

"Really? I wouldn't know by the horrible way you treated me in the past. But what are you doing here? Rouen is a far walk from here."

"I…I don't reside there any longer. After you left, I…I sold the house and moved here."

"I hope you're happy with the life you have chosen. That man was the undoing of you. He made you want things that you simply couldn't have."

"That being?"

"A flawless child. Good day, Madame…"

Before I could turn and leave, I heard Christine running towards me. I pressed my eyes closed and held her back.

"Stay back," I warned. "Don't go any closer."

"Erik, who is this?"

"No one that concerns you… Good day, Madame, seek me no longer."

I pulled Christine with me as we headed back to the caravan. I thought my mother had taken my advice, but a few seconds later, I felt the woman's hands wrapping around my waist.

"Let me go!" I growled. "Let me go…Enough!"

"Erik, please, listen to me. I want you to come home… I want you to come back with me. I want things to be the way they used to be."

I used all my strength and scratched the woman's arm, causing her to release me. I still couldn't walk right due to the agony my master had bestowed upon me. Christine caressed me close to her and pulled me away from the woman.

"I will never go back to that!" I cried. "No one will ever hurt me again… Do you hear me?! Never EVER again. I hate you! There, I said it! I hate you, mother! You are below me…You are the worst person living upon this earth. Parents are supposed to love their children and you wanted me dead! Well, mother, I am dead to you…I am dead and you can live happily with your man now."

"I left him," she cried. "I left him the night you left me. I wasn't going to marry him, Erik. He wanted me to throw you into an asylum and I refused. I was ready to try to love you…I wanted to try."

"You wanted to try? You're not supposed to try! You're supposed to love me and you couldn't. Now, I can't love you. Goodbye, mother…"

"Erik…"

"Goodbye!"

The walk back was silent, for I couldn't bear to talk to Christine. Something deep inside me hurt…Was it my heart perhaps? When we arrived, back at the caravan, I went inside and took a seat on the bed. Christine didn't say a word. No, she simply approached the kitchen area and began to prepare a meal in silence. Though, the girl was curious and I knew she wouldn't stay silent for long.

"Dearest Erik…" she began. "What's wrong? Who was that lady?"

"That, Christine, would be my sorry excuse for a mother. She loathed me my entire life and now she wants me to return home with her. As if I ever would…"

Christine sat a small plate down with a few pieces of bread on it. She seemed upset, but I didn't dare ask her what was wrong.

"Y…You always shy away from me. You never tell me how you truly feel, dearest Erik. I try to talk to you, but…but you never want to."

"I talk to you all the time."

"Perhaps, but you never talk to me about…about why the world hates you."

"And do you really want to know the reason why, Christine?! Has your curiosity gotten the best of you just like it has gotten the best of everyone else?"

"What? Of course not, dearest Erik."

"But it has! You're sitting before me now questioning me about my mother and about why the world hates me. Why can't things just go back to the way they were? Before you ever questioned me about anything? Music used to be everything up until now."

Christine wiped away a single tear, one that had been the result of my yelling. I didn't mean to yell, but sometimes my temper got the best of me.

"I apologize, Christine…Really, I do. I just… I just don't want you to come out hating me as well because of what I am. I couldn't bear the thought of it."

"I'm not hungry anymore," Christine began. "I…I think I'm just going to sleep."

Knowing how exhausted I was, I nodded and lay down beside the girl. I drifted off for a while, only waking when I heard a loud bang. I quickly sat up and looked towards the door of the caravan, but as soon as I opened my eyes, I felt something heavy topple over my head, causing me to black out. When I came to, the first thing I noticed was the pain in my head...the next thing was the unbearable pressure around my ankle. I was in a strange bedroom, one that I didn't recognize.

"Ah, you're awake…"

That voice! There it was again! I gasped and looked up to see my mother standing over me. She was here! She was standing over my body smiling as if this were supposed to be a happy moment between mother and son. When I dared to look down at my ankle, I noticed the shackle that was locked around it. No…This evil woman had trapped me!

"I didn't want to turn to such drastic measures, but you left me no choice. You didn't want to come willingly, so, I had someone bring you here."

"Christine!" I cried, my leg yanking on the chain like crazy.

"It's all right, Erik… She's here. She's safe, and what a beautiful little girl she is. So perfect… I think she may become the daughter that Charles never gave me. How did you befriend such a fine specimen?"

"Unchain me, Madeline! I demand that you unchain me this instant! I hate you! I ran away!"

"You are my son!" she cried. "And I want things to change. I want to love you like I should have done years ago. You need to give me this chance, Erik."

My name was like poison on her lips. I wasn't sure why she was doing this to me, but I didn't care, I wanted to be free!

"The shackle around your ankle has a chain attached to it. I have it stretching from here all the way to the back yard. It should give you enough slack to go anywhere in the house. I would let you free, but I'm afraid you would run. No, my son, you will have to gain my trust. Dinner is in an hour and I expect you to be there."

When the woman left my new room, I kicked and screamed. I was going to get free one way or another. Tug after tug, I pulled on my foot until I couldn't stand the pain of it anymore. The flesh around my ankle began to bleed from how tight the shackle was around it.

"Erik…"

When I heard a knock at my door, I looked up to see Christine walking in. There were no shackles around her legs. No, she was free!

"Christine!"

I wrapped my arms around her and she did the same to me.

"Are you hurt?" I frantically asked.

Christine shook her head. "No, I'm all right."

"Christine, you need to get the key to this shackle… You need to search for it. You need to get me out of here. We need to get out of here!"

"Dearest Erik, stop… We can't. Your mother…She…She…"

"She did what? What did she do?"

"Your mother told me that she would send me away if I tried to help you. You promised me, Erik… You promised me that I would never have to go to that horrible place. Please say that we can stay here… I don't want to get separated from you. I don't want to live at an orphanage. Your mother has offered me cookies and a home…"

"She is evil…"

"Please, Erik… Please say that we can stay here. Don't let her take me away."

Christine wrapped her arms around me, and I sighed. I knew that I had promised to always protect her, so protect I would.

"I…I promise, Christine."

I wasn't sure what lay ahead for the both of us, but I knew for the time being I was stuck here. I would live here, but I wouldn't come to love my mother ever again. I wouldn't show that woman any compassion whatsoever. Never once had she ever cared and I wouldn't start now. I would only be content for Christine's sake.

"I…I have to go help your mother cook dinner now," she pouted. "I have to set the table. Please say that you will come down for dinner?"

"I don't think so, Christine. It's best to let me stay up here…"

Before Christine left, she placed a kiss to my masked cheek…somehow, that kiss made everything worth it.

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**Does anyone have the key to Erik's shackle? Anyone? All right, who wants to plan a rescue mission? Reviewers get the map of this evil woman's home... Please review! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Christine's POV**

When Erik refused to come down for dinner, I wound up having to sit with his mother. It was strange, for I wanted nothing more than to be beside Erik and instead he was upstairs.

"So, Christine, that's a pretty name."

"It was my grandmother's name, Madame…"

"Oh, please…Madame? Why must you be so proper? You can call me Miss Maddy if you wish. That seems to be more suitable, wouldn't you say?"

"If you wish, Miss Maddy…"

I looked down at my plate of food, not really being too interested in eating anymore.

"What's the matter? Don't you like what I made?"

"Yes, I do," I said. "But I would enjoy it more if Erik were here."

Miss Maddy smiled. "Erik…You've grown fond of my son, haven't you?"

I nodded and took a sip of my glass of milk. "We're best friends."

"I've been worried about him for the past three years. It is a shame what happened between us, little one, but I know in time I will have the relationship I've always wanted to have with him."

"If you wish to have a relationship with him, Miss Maddy, then why do you have him chained up like a dog? That shackle doesn't seem to be comfortable around his leg. Why couldn't you just let him free?"

"Free? And what? Have him run from me again?!"

The woman shouted and I gasped in fear. It was apparent that she had the same ill temper in her as Erik had sometimes. She quickly caught herself and took a few breaths before changing the subject.

"Christine, I can't trust him…Not now, not when our relationship is so new. When he earns my trust, I shall simply set him free to wander around as he pleases. For now, I suggest you go along with this, that is, unless you want to find yourself locked away in an orphanage. You have such a pretty face, one that should be happy."

The woman was friendly, but at the same time, I couldn't help but find her frightening…

**Erik's POV**

I had to get free from this shackle! I couldn't take it any longer…Over and over again I yanked and pulled my leg. At one point, I even attempted to pull the metal shackle off my foot, but it was no use. My foot was too big and there was no way to fit it over that part of my body. I knew the only way I was going to become free from the shackle was to break my foot. I looked all over the room, but found that the only way I was going to do it was to jump out the window. I waited until there was silence throughout the house before opening my bedroom window and standing up on the ledge. The chain was extremely tight now, for Madeline had not given me enough slack to crawl out the window. I took one final breath and jumped from the ledge…

My body slammed against the side of the house and my foot had become dislocated. I was in extreme agony, but I would now be able to remove my foot from the shackle. I wanted to scream…I wanted to cry, but I held my hand over my mouth to cut off the screams that wanted to come. Though, there was only one problem now… I was hanging upside down and I couldn't lift myself up enough to reach the shackle that was still hooked around my broken foot. For hours I tried to lift my body up, but it was no use… I was stuck and there was no way of undoing the damage that I had caused.

**Christine's POV**

Miss Maddy had kept me occupied all night. I was like the perfect child that she never had. I didn't want to spend time with her, but I was forced into doing it. She sat me beside the piano she had in her family room and ran her fingers over the keys. Afterwards, she even handed me my papa's violin, telling me that she had brought everything here from the caravan including Toby and my horse.

"I should take this violin to Erik," I told her. "Maybe it would cheer him up."

"No, little one," she began. "You should let him sleep. Usually, when Erik is angry the best way to get him to feel better was to leave him alone. In the morning I will coax him down for breakfast and you can give it to him then."

I didn't like not saying goodnight to Erik, but I obeyed in fear of having her send me away. Though, early the following morning, I made my way across the hall and lightly knocked upon Erik's bedroom door.

"Dearest Erik, are you awake?"

When I didn't get a response, I knocked again.

"Dearest Erik? Could I please come in?"

When he didn't answer, I sighed and walked down the stairs to reach the kitchen. I felt as though I was not only losing myself, but Erik as well.

"Ah, good morning, little one… Did you sleep all right?"

Miss Maddy was already standing in the kitchen making breakfast. I nodded and took a seat at the table. From there, I placed my head into my hands and sighed.

"Erik didn't answer me. I don't think he wants to come downstairs for breakfast this morning. Maybe I could take a plate to him instead?"

"Like hell!" she growled, slamming down the bowl she was currently stirring something in. The woman raced up the stairs like a bat out of hell and I couldn't help but find myself chasing after her. I didn't want her to hurt Erik, but I knew that she was capable of it.

"Erik!" she screamed his name and banged on his door. "Erik, this is your mother and I demand you to come to the door this instant!"

We waited a few seconds and when no one answered, Miss Maddy opened the door. The first thing I expected to see was Erik curled up beneath the bed or hidden in a closet, but I was wrong. No, the window was open and there was a trail of blood leading from the bed to the windowsill.

"Erik!" she rushed to the open window and looked down. I didn't want to go near it, but the woman was already looking at me to help.

"Christine, you must grab hold of this chain!"

I didn't hesitate and did as I was told. From there, Miss Maddy pulled something up…Something mangled and gushing blood. It was Erik! He was lifeless and something was terribly wrong with the foot that was shackled.

"Miss Maddy, what's wrong with Erik?"

She threw the child down on the floor and grabbed my hand. She was just going to leave him there! I fought and scratched tooth and nail to get the woman to release me, but she slapped me for doing so. She dragged me down the stairs and tossed me into a dark closet. I kicked and screamed over and over again, but she had locked the closet so I couldn't get out. I guess she was afraid that I would have taken Erik and ran away. I wasn't sure how much time had gone by, but when I heard the front door opening again, I not only heard Madeline talking, but a man as well. A few seconds later, the door to the closet opened and Miss Maddy pulled me from the dark realm.

"The doctor is here…" she explained. "I need you to sit on this couch and behave! One movement and I won't think twice about taking you to the orphanage myself."

That was enough to frighten me. I sat still and listened to the commotion that was going on upstairs. I heard my Erik screaming in pain…I covered my ears and prayed to my father, praying that he watch over Erik. His scream was a horrible one filled with agony. Oh, what were they doing to him? Silent tears fell down my cheeks, for Erik didn't deserve to feel pain… He deserved happiness.

**Erik's POV**

I had not died during the long hours I had hung outside my window. When I heard my mother's voice again, I wished for nothing more than death to take me. She had grabbed me from the window and threw me down onto the hard floor of my bedroom like a rag doll. Next thing I knew Christine had been pulled away and the bedroom door had been slammed closed.

"Get the shackle off his leg," was the next voice I heard. I couldn't feel anything on my body, for the pain from my foot had numbed me. When I heard the key click in the lock that was on the shackle, I felt a sense of relief. Now, if only I could make a dash for the door…

"We need to get him off this floor and into bed. His foot might be septic…"

The arms of a strong man wrapped themselves beneath me and lifted my broken body from off the hard floor.

"Maddy, this boy needs a hospital…He's dehydrated and his foot looks far too broken to be saved."

"No hospitals!" the voice hissed. "You are the village's miracle worker, therefore, I suggest you save my son."

"I don't have the pain medicine to numb him. Hospitals are the only places where they can be found."

"Just do what you must. He did this to himself, after all…"

I opened my eyes to find an older man in a white coat standing over my body. He was rummaging through a small black bag. From there, I felt his hands place themselves against my foot and that's when I felt it! Extreme agony! I screamed and tried to hoist myself up from the mattress, but my mother held me down. I could feel every bone within my foot moving and hitting my nerves, nerves that sent a shock of agony up my spine.

"Stop!" I cried. "Stop!"

"Maddy, I can't continue…" the man pleaded. "He's suffering. If I continue, the pain will only worsen for him."

"Don't you dare stop! Fix him…"

I tried to scream again, but my mother placed her hand over my mouth to cut off my screams. Sweat ran down my forehead as I lay there completely helpless against my mother and the doctor who was causing me pain.

"I've done all that I can do, Maddy," the male voice cooed. "His foot is splinted, but I don't know if it will heal."

"Can he walk?" I heard my mother ask. "Could he get to his feet and crawl away if he wanted to?"

"If he wanted to, yes, he could."

No less than two seconds later, I felt that same shackle around my foot, but this time, Madeline had placed it around my other ankle.

"I give you an inch and you take a mile! Perhaps this will teach you to obey me, Erik!"

"Your son will need medicine to be administered to him twice a day. It will keep his pain away and help him sleep. I'll return in a week to see if his foot has healed any."

When the doctor left my room, Madeline approached my bed once more and pushed the vials of medicine into the nightstand and slammed the drawer closed.

"Medicine?" she mocked. "You did this to yourself and now, you can suffer for it. How do you expect me to love you when you can't even follow the rules?!"

Already my pain was beginning to bother me, so much that I couldn't even think straight.

"There is no escaping me this time, Erik…You'll learn to like it here. I won't have it any other way…"

And just like that she left me to suffer upon that mattress. My mother always had and always would be the most evil woman there ever was. There was no changing that…

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**Reviewers get some medicine to take to Erik... Anyway, I am updating early because of all the awesome reviews! Hope you enjoyed the chapter...Please Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Christine's POV**

"Oh, little one you look so beautiful…"

After Miss Maddy came back downstairs, she dragged me into her bedroom and began brushing my curls and placed a diamond necklace around my neck. The piece of jewelry was too big and heavy for me, but Miss Maddy didn't seem to care.

"This necklace was my grandmother's. She gave it to my mother and my mother gave it to me. Someday, I'll pass it down to you, perhaps."

"But wouldn't you give it to Erik?" I questioned. "He is your only child and it only seems right that you give it to him to give to who he wishes to give it to."

"And why would I give him such a beautiful trinket? He would probably take it apart to see how it's made… He's good for that, you know? Once, he asked me for a mirror and when I gave it to him he took it apart. He destroys everything he gets his hands on. I'm warning you, girl…Don't be fooled by Erik's innocence. He is anything but…"

Miss Maddy placed a bow into my curls and smiled. "There, you're perfect."

"Will Erik be all right, Miss Maddy?"

She shrugged and patted me on the behind. "Go play, little one."

"I want to play with Erik."

"Well, Erik isn't able to play. I don't think he ever will be able to play. He'll be lucky if he has a foot by the end of the week. He always has and always will be a foolish child."

When I left Miss Maddy's room, I crept over to Erik's and lightly knocked on the door. I didn't hear much except a few low groans.

"Erik?"

I pushed the heavy door open and entered to find Erik lying in bed with his legs elevated onto pillows. The ankle that had been shackled was no longer chained. No, it was his opposite leg that was shackled now. I gently crawled up on his mattress and touched his bandaged foot, only to have him cry.

"Erik, what did you do?"

Erik opened his eyes, those same shades of strange blues starring me in the face. He looked like he was in a lot of pain and I didn't know why.

"Your foot looks strange, Erik…Is it all right?"

"B…Bro…Broken."

"You're sweating… Is there anything I can do?"

Before Erik could answer, I began rummaging around the night table and came across a few vials of medicine.

"Erik, did Miss Maddy give you any of these?"

"N…No…"

I was about to open the vial when Miss Maddy came walking in and grabbed the vials from my hand.

"I don't know what kind of rules your father enforced in his home, little one, but here, I enforce punishment, when punishment is deserved."

"But…But he's in a lot of pain, Miss Maddy. Shouldn't you give him at least one of those?"

"I will, once his punishment is over. Come now…"

Miss Maddy lifted me off of Erik's bed and dragged me to the door.

"I don't want to leave him! Please let me stay…"

"Absolutely not. Erik is in time out and he will do so alone."

I didn't want to leave Erik's side, but I had no other choice. For the remainder of the day, Miss Maddy had me with her in the kitchen, forcing me to help her bake muffins and cakes. She was treating me as though I were her own flesh and blood, when in reality, she didn't have a clue about me. Today it was my birthday…I had been hoping to spend it with Erik in my papa's caravan, but God obviously had other plans. When we were finished baking, I wandered out into the yard to tend to Cesar. The yard was fenced in and had enough space to where he could happily trot around and eat the grass. The yard faced the woods and I sighed as I rested my head on the wooden fence and gazed into the dark beyond.

"I know Erik doesn't want to be here, Toby…" I began. "I know he feels as though he's fallen into another trap. But what can I do? Miss Maddy can be mean at times, but being able to have a bed and a roof over our heads is nice. I just wish Erik would get better."

**Erik's POV**

I wished for death! I wished for nothing more than for God to put an end to my suffering. I could feel every bone within my foot moving and attempting to heal. I whimpered in discomfort while the world went on living outside of my bedroom window. For hours I laid there suffering and wondering when I would be put out of my misery. Finally, when the sun's light became soft and darkness set it, the door to my bedroom opened and Madeline came walking in. I bit my lip to hold in the cries of pain that wanted to emerge, for I wouldn't allow her to see me weak. I had gone through worse pain than this and I wouldn't let her see it.

"Have we learned our lesson?" she questioned, taking a seat at the side of my bed. "You should have known better, Erik. You may be hideous, but you are anything but stupid. You're tutor bragged about your ingenuity five seconds out of every minute of every day."

When I didn't answer her, she held one of the vials in front of my masked face.

"You look like you're in pain… Do you want some?"

"No…" I crooned. "I'm not in pain."

I knew the woman didn't believe me for a single second, for the next thing I knew, she grabbed a hold of my broken foot and squeezed it in her fist.

"Ah!..." I cried louder than I ever had as the numbing agony took over every nerve within my body.

"Lie to me again, Erik and I won't think twice about throwing your medicine away."

From there, she forced one of the horse sized pills into my mouth and held my lips shut until I swallowed it. I nearly choked, but after coughing a few times, I plopped back against my pillow to relax. She was still here… Why was she still sitting at my bedside as if she cared?

"I really do love your little friend. She really is a sweet little thing. She is slowly coming to like living here and I know you'll eventually come around as well. And that mask….It isn't the one I made for you. Did she make you this mask?"

"Y…Yes," I snapped. "She did."

"It suits you. But I'm afraid I must ask, Erik… Whatever happened to the one I made you?"

I didn't want to think about that horrible night. I didn't want to think about the gypsies and what they had done to me. I knew that when I was strong enough, I would seek revenge on all of them.

"Don't think that I didn't see your back when the doctor helped you. I know I hurt you in the past, Erik, but I didn't cause those hideous markings on your back. Who did this to you?"

When I didn't answer her, the woman wrapped her arms around my neck and began to strangle me.

"Who? Who did that to you, Erik! Answer me, you monster!"

When she let go, I gasped for air and knew that if I didn't tell her, she would keep hurting me.

"T…The gypsies. They caught me and kept me their prisoner for three years. Christine…She…she saved me from them."

"Gypsies?" Madeline cried. "You were captured by gypsies? They're monsters! Cannibals, and the scum of the earth."

My mother became quiet for a few moments before she seemed to go mad and tore away the blankets and grasped hold of my trousers. I tried to fight her off, but she was like a mad woman, unbuttoning them and forcefully rolling me over to my side as if she were about to change a diaper on a baby. But she wasn't…She was pulling my trousers down past my butt.

"I knew there was a reason why you couldn't sit right!" she cried. "I saw it when you were performing in the streets with Christine. I knew there was something wrong with you, and now I know the truth!"

The woman tossed the blankets back over me.

"Those monsters made you their whore! Is that what you are, Erik? Did it feel good? Did you enjoy letting those pigs take advantage of you?! That's all you will ever be good for….Do you hear me! You won't be worth anything else. You might as well go back to them so they can continue raping you! Maybe one day they'll let you do the same to them."

And with that, the woman stormed out of my room and slammed the door closed. When she was gone, I let the tears roll down my cheeks. Was that truly all I was good for? I hated the world and it hated me right back. I tore off my mask and pulled the blankets over my head to continue sobbing into my pillow.

"Erik?"

When I heard someone softly calling my name, I pressed my face harder into my pillow and ignored her voice.

"Erik, please answer me…"

But I didn't… Christine didn't deserve to have me as her friend. I was a monster, one who wasn't good enough for anything. When I felt someone hopping up onto my bed, I continued to sob. Soon, the blankets were gently pulled back from my head and I felt her fingers gently running through my locks of black hair.

"Erik, I heard what Miss Maddy said to you…I was listening right outside the door. It was mean, and even though it was mean, it wasn't true. I'm not sure what the gypsies did to you, but I know that you're better than they are. I know that one day you will do great things. Just because they broke you doesn't mean that you can't put yourself back together again and live a great life. You're my friend and I want you to continue being just that for the rest of my life."

I was about to lift my head, when I realized that I wasn't wearing my mask.

"You took your mask off," she said. "I have it in my hands. You don't have to hide from me, dearest Erik."

"Y…You will be afraid."

"But what if I promise to not be afraid?"

"I…I don't have a face, Christine. And no one should have to look at it. Promise me that you will never ask to see it again…"

"I…I promise dearest Erik."

I reached out for my mask and placed it back over my deformed face before turning to her.

"Miss Maddy and me made cakes today. We decorated them all the same, but I made this one especially for you."

When I was comfortable again, Christine handed me the small chocolate cupcake and smiled.

"I thought it would make your foot feel better. But, I must make you promise me something, Erik… You made me promise to never ask to see your face again. Now I want you to promise me that you will never try to run away from here. I don't want to go to the orphanage and I don't want to get separated from you. Promise me…"

"I…I promise, Christine. We will stay until there comes a time when we should move on."

I didn't want to stay here, but Christine was making me promise to stay. In my mind, I knew I would grow up hating the world and it would continue hating me right back. Therefore, I promised to stay until I was a man. Others might have seen me as a helpless puppy, but they should never kick a dog because he's just a pup, for they would need to run for cover when the pup grows up. I would become the man everyone would fear…

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**I don't think there is enough love left in this world to save Erik now... Poor unhappy Erik. Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Erik's POV**

For weeks I lay in that bed in agony. I was afraid my foot wasn't going to heal, but when the doctor returned, he found that my foot had begun to do just that. I believed at first that I was going to lose it, but instead of losing it, the doctor placed it into a cast of some sort. I was to wear it for six weeks…Oh, and those six weeks were some of the worst weeks of my life. Though, Christine stayed by my side as much as possible and rubbed my foot.

"It itches," I groaned. "It's very annoying."

Christine scratched my toes and I could only smile. When my cast was finally able to come off, I promised my mother that I wouldn't flee in hopes that she would release my other foot from the shackle.

"And just why should I trust you?" she questioned.

"Christine made me promise that I wouldn't flee, and I never break a promise… I wouldn't get far even if I tried. I have to use a crutch for the next few months."

I motioned to the wooden crutch the doctor had left for me. It took a few moments, but Madeline finally took out her key and unlocked the shackle that was tight around my ankle.

"I gave you an inch and you better not take a mile. One attempt at fleeing and I won't think twice about taking your girl to the orphanage."

Finally being able to leave that bedroom, Christine helped me downstairs to explore. I still couldn't put pressure on my foot, but this was indeed better than lying around. I soon found the downstairs pantry, one that I wanted to make my room. It was perfect! It was cool, dark and a place where I would be able to make my own.

"But why would you want to be down here?" Christine questioned. "It's so dark… Wouldn't you rather be upstairs with me?"

"I like it down here, Christine…"

And by the end of the day, it was indeed mine. I made myself a desk out of a few wooden boards and Christine was kind enough to make me a bed out of pillows and blankets. My angel's birthday had been weeks ago, but I had never been able to properly celebrate it. What made my blood boil even more was the fact that Madeline had purchased a doll for her. That was supposed to be my gift to her! I wanted to make something of myself and prove to her that I could make her happy. She carried that doll around as if it were her baby and it angered me.

I was sitting at my desk writing when I heard someone coming down the stairs. I turned to find Toby rushing over to my desk. He was no longer a puppy…No, he was a full grown terrier.

"Don't you usually sleep in Christine's room?"

The dog simply walked himself over to my bed and lay down. I rolled my eyes and continued writing.

"Dearest Erik?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I stopped writing and found her coming down the stairs with that baby doll in hand.

"Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"I didn't know that I had a bedtime."

"It's nearly midnight. Why couldn't you sleep?"

"Well, you've been reading me bedtime stories for the past few weeks. I can't sleep unless you tell me and Gustave a story."

"Gustave? You named that thing…"

"Yes," she said, hugging the doll close. "I've named him after my papa. You know, I do want to name my son after my papa one day."

"Well, good for you."

"Why are you being so cruel tonight, Erik? What have I don't to make you so angry?"

"Everything…Just leave me be, Christine."

Christine looked at her doll and placed it into my lap.

"He'll make you feel better."

I was so angry that I took Christine's doll and threw him towards the stairs, causing a loud bang to occur. Tears rushed to the girl's eyes as she approached the stairs and scooped up her broken doll.

"You broke him…"

"He's not real! Do you hear me, Christine! He's not real!"

Christine threw the parts on my desk and began to sob.

"You'd be a horrible papa! How could you do such a thing! You broke him…"

And with that, Christine ran up the stairs and left me sitting there alone. I sighed and looked at the broken parts of the doll. I had been a monster… Even if I was angry over the doll, that didn't give me a right to break him. I groaned and picked up the pieces, knowing that I needed to fix this doll for her. It was only right… That evening I did nothing but work on fixing Christine's doll. I was a monster at times, which was the reason why I didn't deserve to have her as a friend. By morning, Christine's doll was whole again…whole and perfect. Or it was as perfect as it was going to be. That afternoon, I made my way to the yard and spotted her brushing Cesar's mane… She seemed so sad and I knew exactly why. I knew that she was missing her doll and it was all because I had broken it. I looked down at the doll and sighed… She would never forgive me. I didn't disturb her and placed the doll down near the gate, a place where she would be able to find it. There was no use in trying to talk to her, for I knew she would not forgive me.

Instead, I walked back inside and came face to face with my mother. She was sitting in her arm chair and eyeing me up. Usually, I would just sneak back down into the basement without a word, but for some odd reason, she was acting as though she wanted me to talk to her.

"And why is it that you're up here?" she asked. "You haven't been up in days."

"I don't find a reason to come up. I'm…I'm not wanted. You love Christine more than anything in the world. I hear you laughing with her as if she is your own flesh and blood. You give her things that you've never given me, Madeline. Why? Why do you treat her as if she is your daughter?"

"And why wouldn't I? She is a sweet little thing, is she not? She deserves to be treated like a princess, Erik. I told you before that your face will hold you back from achieving what you truly want out of life. It will… You may be my son, but when you grow up to be a man, no woman or anyone else will ever want you."

Tears wanted to run down my cheeks, but I did not shed a single one. No, instead I hurried back down the basement stairs and punched a hole into the nearest wall. No woman would ever want me! No woman would ever want me! I sobbed into my hands and plopped down onto my bed. For the longest time, I sat there thinking about what my mother had said to me. No woman would ever want me…Did she mean love? I wiped my eyes and rolled over, only to hear the door to my room opening later that evening. I first believed it to be Christine, but I didn't dare move. I glanced towards the stairs and waited…I waited until I spotted my mother's lanky legs.

"Your dinner…" she growled, tossing the plate down on my work table. She was standing over my bed now. I just continued staring at the wall, for I wouldn't acknowledge her.

"You're not going to talk to me are you? Still crossed over the words I said? Erik, I only speak the truth. What woman would ever want to look you in the eyes and make sweet love to your hideous body? There are just some people in this world that aren't worth loving and sadly, you're one of them."

"Stop!" I cried. "Just stop…"

"You hate the truth! You don't like the truth so you yell at me! Don't yell at me, Erik! I'm only telling you what to expect. There will come a time when you will find yourself having manly urges. Those urges are going to come sooner than later and when that time does arrive you're going to need to know the truth. I'm saving you from heartache. You think that I'm doing this to hurt you? I'm doing this to save you the heartache of rejection. No woman is ever going to want you…No, creatures like you are only wanted by other creatures…horrible and despicable creatures. Like the gypsies. What they did to you was all you will ever know."

I began to curl up beneath my blankets like a frightened animal. No…I wouldn't suffer anymore. I couldn't even walk right because of what that monster did to me.

"Yes, Erik," my mother crooned. "Curl up like a hurt animal!"

She kicked me in the feet, causing me to whimper.

"I'm not weak!" I cried. "I'm not weak… I will grow to be a strong man, Madeline, and when I am grown, you best watch out."

"Why you little brat!"

My mother lifted my up by my shirt and slammed me against the nearest wall. I grabbed her hands as hard as I could and shoved her away. I wouldn't stand for her abuse any longer. She may say horrible things to me, but she would never touch me again.

"Mark my words, Erik… You will die a poor virgin. No one would ever enjoy you."

With that, she slammed the door to my room closed. When I was alone once more, I took my dinner and threw it at the wall, causing the plate to smash into a million pieces. I cried into my hands and began to write…

"Erik?"

When I heard Christine's soft voice, I spun around to find her coming down the stairs clutching her baby doll close to her chest.

"Just leave me alone," I sighed. "You don't need to be down here."

"But I do… I heard what your mother said to you. I heard what she said, but most of all, I wanted to thank you for fixing Gustave."

"Fixing a broken doll is easy," I cried. "But trying to fix a broken heart is impossible. Much like your doll was, Christine, I am broken. My mother's words hurt, but they are true. She is right… I probably will die a poor virgin. I don't even know what that word means. No woman would ever want to make love to me. Those were her words… Make love? How does one make love to another?"

"My papa used to tell me that some things were meant to be kept unsaid until the proper time. We're still just children, Erik…We're innocent. Adults are supposed to keep the horrors of life away from us."

"It probably is horrible. If it's anything like the pain my master put me through, I would rather die. Maybe it's better to be left unloved!"

"But you're not unloved, dearest Erik. I care about you very much….More than anything in the world. I shouldn't have called you those horrible things the other day. So, I'm sorry…"

"I probably am those things, Christine."

Christine then placed her doll aside and embraced me.

"Promise me something, dearest Erik…"

"Anything…"

"Promise me that no matter what, you will never change for anyone. Someone should love you for who you are. They shouldn't expect you to change and I don't want you to do it for anyone."

"Not even you?"

"Nope, not even me. You're perfect the way you are, mask and all…"

I happily sighed and wrapped my arms around Christine's small frame. I could only hope that she would never change either, for it was she who was the absolutely perfect one.

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**Updates for all the reviews! Decided to do this one early due to popular demand...Plus, I got a lot of reviews for my last update. Please review, everyone! Thanks again...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Erik's POV**

Madeline took Christine to church every Sunday morning and left me home. It wasn't safe for me…That's all she drilled into my head, that the world wasn't safe. Indeed it wasn't. At first, Christine had begged Madeline to let me come, but the evil woman did nothing but twist her words around and make Christine feel sorry for me. God was not an honest man, nor did he care about the monsters he created. So, every Sunday for an entire two hours, the house was mine to do with as I pleased. During those two hours, I usually came out into the yard and played with Toby or Cesar. It was the only time I could stand outside in peace, for everyone else was at church.

"I'm going to get myself out of here one day, Toby," I swore as I tossed a stick to the other side of the yard. "I'm going to prove to my mother that I can make something of myself. I'm going to get out of here and I'm going to take Christine with me. She deserves better than that evil witch. Someday, Toby…When I'm grown. I only have a few more years to go until I will be considered an adult. Then, Christine won't have to worry about being sent to an orphanage…"

When it was nearly time for Madeline to return, I headed back down to my room and found comfort in the violin Christine had given me. It was such a wondrous instrument, so much so that I knew I would cherish it until the day that I died.

"You play wonderfully, dearest Erik…"

When I heard that familiar voice, I looked to spot Christine standing on the bottom stair. She was dressed in her finest church attire and was smiling. Though, I continued playing while she continued to talk.

"Church was so wonderful today, Erik. You would have loved the music and the service."

My song came to an abrupt halt as I placed down my bow.

"What have I told you about bragging to me about church?"

"I…I didn't mean anything by it, dearest Erik…I was just thinking that you would be interested in what the service was about."

"I don't want to hear another word about that infernal place, do you understand?"

Christine nodded and I picked up my violin again.

"Good, now stop disturbing me… When I'm finished playing I'll read you a story."

I was about to continue playing, when she began to talk once more.

"I…I met some of the other children today. They were really nice. They even invited me to come play with them this afternoon."

This angered me even more, for this time, I placed my instrument down on my bed and stood, my height towering over her.

"You promised me that we would play today, Christine."

"I…I know, it's just that we play every day. I thought that I would make a few new friends. It has been so long since the last time I played with a few girls my age."

"Go ahead," I cried. "Toss me aside. You're not the same anymore, Christine. When we first met, you and I were inseparable… Now, Madeline has been doing nothing but changing you in the worst way. I'm a burden to you, just like I'm a burden to her. Why does the world hate me, Christine?!"

"I don't hate you! I just wanted to play with the other children. Madeline said that it was all right if I did so."

"Yes, because she is trying to pull you away from me. You know what…Go, just go and play with your new friends. I hope you have the time of your life."

"I promise to play with you later, Erik…"

"Don't bother…"

I knew Christine was standing there waiting for me to say something other than that, but I didn't have anything else to say. I grabbed my crutch and ran right out of the house and into the backyard as my mother yelled for me to come back before I hurt myself. Oh, like she would care. I was losing not only myself, but I was losing the best thing that had ever happened to me. I ran…That's all I ever knew how to do was run. I ran right up until I heard my sweet Christine's laughs. I was in the woods, but stopped once I heard that sweet sound. There she was…She was sitting near the creek with a few other children her age. She was so innocent and so beautiful. I only wished that I could be the same. They were just laughing and being children, something that I could never be. I watched them play their games for the longest time until I heard a woman calling out for a few of them. Two girls and a boy scrambled to their feet and left, bidding Christine and this other boy goodbye. It was just the two of them now…This boy was around my age, and oh, what a fop he was. He thought he was the most beautiful thing around with his blonde hair and blue eyes. Christine seemed entranced by his beauty, but I wasn't fooled.

"I know that we've just met, Christine, but I can already see a connection between you and I. My parents and I live in France, but we vacation here from time to time. Perhaps one day I could take you to France? I'm sure you would truly love it there…"

Christine blushed. "Raoul, that would be wonderful."

"It's getting dark, I should probably walk you home…"

Raoul? I didn't like this Raoul child at all. I squeezed my fists and followed them in secrecy. They were walking side by side, but when the boy interlaced his hand with Christine's, I lost it. I pounced on him like a lion! We both fell to the ground as my hands wrapped themselves around the fop's neck.

"How dare you touch her like that! She is a child!"

"Erik!" Christine grabbed my shoulders to stop me, but all I had on my mind was protecting Christine. The boy was trying to fight back, but I was stronger than he was… But Christine… Oh, she wouldn't stop trying to get me off the boy.

"Erik, enough! Stop this…please, I beg you!"

And then it happened… I raised my fist into the air, only, instead of hitting air, it backfired and hit Christine. When I heard her cries, I let the vile boy go and scrambled to my feet. Her nose was bleeding and she was looking up at me as if I were the worst person upon this earth. Tears rushed to my eyes as I stood over her.

"Christine…I…I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought…I thought he was…"

But I never had the chance to finish, for the boy tackled me and we went plummeting down the steep hill.

"Erik!" Christine was shouting my name, but her voice was getting farther and farther away. When we landed at the bottom of the hill, the boy jumped on top of me and tore away my mask… That was it. He got one good glance at my face and that was enough to frighten him for life.

"Y…You're hideous," the boy cried. "I'm…I'm going to tell me father about this."

The child never ran so fast up that hill and when Christine tried to stop him, he ran right past her as well. My hands were currently settled in the water of a small creek, but when I turned over and saw my reflection, I knew that this was only the beginning of my nightmares. I attempted to reach out for my mask and place it back on before anyone could see me. When I looked back down into the creek and spotted Christine's horrified reflection, I knew that she had not seen a ghost.. No…she had not seen a ghost, she had seen my face.

"Ch…Christine…"

She began to back up…Oh, she was afraid of me now! She had tears in her eyes and then, right there before me, she passed out. I dropped to her side and sobbed into my hands. All I ever did was destroy the beauty and good in life. She would never want to be my friend now… Not after what she had just seen. I wanted nothing more than to scoop her body up into my arms and carry her home, but before I could do so, I heard the barking of dogs…

"Toby?"

I thought it was, but when I saw four hounds at the top of the hill, I knew it was anything but. No…they were after me. I looked at Christine and didn't want to run, but I had to.

"I'm sorry…"

I took one last look at her and I ran…I couldn't run very fast, for I was still supposed to be using the crutch the doctor had given to me, but I ran. Dogs frightened me…Ever since my master sent his dogs on me, I have hated them. Toby was an exception, for every other animal made me skittish. How was it that just yesterday Christine and I were laughing together and reading stories to one another, and now, I was running for my life. When I couldn't run any longer, I tripped and fell…the dogs were onto me now, for I could hear them getting closer and closer. And then, I felt the jaw of one clamping itself around my throat. This was it…This was going to be the end of my life.

"Enough! Get down…"

I was nearly on the verge of blacking out from no oxygen, but I heard someone stop the dog from biting me.

"Is there anything that you want to say before we take you to hell?"

The town's people were surrounding me…The town's people and that bratty little fop.

"That's him, papa! He tackled me…He punched me and almost killed me."

Now, the part about tackling him was true, but the rest were false accusations. I had not intended to kill him.

"And my friend, Christine…He went mad on her too!"

My throat was sore and bleeding, otherwise, I would have spoken up.

"To the first gypsy camp is where you're going to go…"

"Wait!" and then, I heard Christine's voice. She must have woken and followed the angry voices. But why? Why was she here now?

"Christine, stand back from that monster," Raoul demanded. "He's dangerous."

"He's my friend…And…And you're lying, Raoul."

"I am not lying! He wanted to kill me…He probably would have killed you too."

"He would never do such a thing. You're lying, Raoul. You saw his face…"

Raoul's father dropped me and grabbed him by his shirt.

"Are you lying again?! This is the second lie this month, boy! What have I told you about telling the truth?!"

The boy was crying now, crying while I bled. When Raoul's father finished beating him, the man scooped me up into his arms and carried me back to Madeline's house. But oh, that wasn't where I wanted to go. Raoul's father explained everything to my mother and she just nodded. I was placed down on the couch, but I knew once Raoul's father was gone, the abuse I would feel would be anything but pleasant.

"So," my mother began. "You enjoy beating up little boys, do you?"

Christine had run into the kitchen to fetch a cloth to hold against the bleeding teeth marks in my neck, but my mother stopped her.

"He's hurt, Miss Maddy…"

"No, he's not…Not yet!"

And then, from out of the closet, she produced a large leather belt. I couldn't move, for if I could have, I would have run.

"This will be the last time you ever touch any child ever again…"

The last thing I felt before blacking out was the burning of my flesh from the lashings and the only thing I heard was Christine's voice pleading my mother to stop….Stop? But that woman didn't know the meaning.

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**Poor Poor Erik... Sorry to keep you all waiting. Back from vacation and more updates shall follow. Please review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Erik's POV**

I wasn't sure why I had allowed my mother to beat me. The last time she raised her hand to me, I promised that it would be the final time. But why again? Perhaps it was because I cared too much about Christine to fight back. To see her taken away from me would do nothing but break my heart. My mother whipped me with her belt until my flesh bled. Christine was frightened by my mother and ran into her bedroom until it was over. After she saw my face I didn't think that she was ever going to look at me the same way again.

"…You will not draw unwanted attention to this family, Erik… You should know your place by now."

With that, my mother threw down her belt and tossed me into my bedroom. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. Instead, I held in the tears that wanted to emerge and pressed my masked face into my pillow.

"Dearest Erik?"

Christine sounded frightened and I knew why. How could she not be afraid? She had seen my face. I sniffled and continued to ignore her.

"Erik? Are you awake?"

When I didn't answer her, I heard her steps getting closer and closer to my bed. And then, I felt something moist being dabbed against my sore neck. I kept my eyes closed and pretended that I was asleep, for I didn't want to face her…Not now, not tonight.

"Goodnight, Erik," she cooed. "I…I hope you sleep well."

When the girl was gone, I got up and approached my window. I took a seat on the windowsill and looked out at the night sky. I didn't want to be here any longer…I was almost a man, one that wanted nothing more than to be free. When the burning finally wore off from my beating, I managed to change into my night clothes. It wasn't fun trying to remove my clothing without the fabric brushing my wounds, but it needed to be done. Afterwards, I lit a candle and slowly came down the stairs using my crutch. I was thirsty and a little hungry… I was thankful that my mother was already in her room for the evening, otherwise, I probably would have killed her.

I placed a kettle of water over the stove and took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Dearest Erik?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I spun around to see her standing in the doorway clutching her doll close to her chest. She too, was dressed in her night attire and her chocolate curls were bouncing over her shoulders.

"You can't even bear to look at me now," I began. "Before today, you would look me right in the eyes. Look at you, you're staring down at your feet now. I know you think I'm hideous, Christine. I can see it in your eyes."

"I don't want to be afraid of you, Erik…We're best friends…"

"No, we used to be best friends, Christine. I know deep down that you won't ever look at me the same way again."

"Why did you let your mother hurt you, Erik? You told me that you were never going to let anyone hurt you again."

"If I would have fought back, she might have sent you away. Do you know what that would have done to you? You would have hated me for it. I know you hate me now…"

"I don't!" she cried. "I don't hate you…How could you say such a thing?"

"You blacked out…You blacked out, Christine. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you do not fear me…"

Christine tried to look up, but she couldn't… I knew she was trying, but it was no use, for she now had tears in her eyes.

"You're afraid of me and nothing will ever be the same again."

The kettle began to whistle and I got up to take it off the burner. Though, as soon as I did so, I felt two small arms wrap themselves tightly around my torso.

"Please don't hate me, Erik… You are my best friend and I always want it to be that way. Why do you think I lied? I lied for you, dearest Erik! I lied for you! I lied because you are my best friend. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you. So please…please don't hate me because I was afraid. As long as you wear the mask nothing will ever change between us."

How could I say no to her? How could I deny myself a friend?

"Christine…Oh, Christine."

"I will do anything, Erik…Just please say that we can still be friends."

"Anything?"

"Yes," she cried. "Anything, Erik…"

"Never talk to that Raoul boy again. He is no good….Do you understand me?"

"If you say so, Erik…"

"There is one more thing, Christine… I need you to promise me one more thing."

"Anything…"

"I want you to stop treating my mother as if she is your own. She is my mother and she is an evil being. She will do nothing but hurt me…I don't want her to hurt you either. When I am old enough, I will be leaving here and I want you to come with me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Erik…"

I broke away from Christine's embrace in order to make my tea, knowing that I had once again gained her trust. I never wanted her to speak to that boy again and I knew that she would never break her promise to me.

"Dearest Erik, you look like you're in a lot of pain."

"Nothing that I won't recover from. All I want to do now is enjoy my tea and crawl into bed. I'm so exhausted."

"And so am I…"

I smiled, for Christine would be the only friend I would ever want or need…

The summer finally arrived and like the girl promised, she never spoke to that boy again. No, she basically ignored everyone that wanted to play with her. She spent the summer days following me around like a lost puppy, always begging me to play. My mother didn't appreciate her ignoring the neighborhood children, but there wasn't a thing that could be done about it.

"That one looks like a monkey…"

It was too hot to do anything but lie around, that being the reason why Christine and I found ourselves lying in the shade and staring up at the sky. This was a game she enjoyed playing…She would look up at the clouds and then tell me what they looked like.

"And that one looks like a gypsy caravan…" she giggled.

I knew she was only being innocent, but I couldn't help but find it offensive.

"Oh…I'm sorry, dearest Erik. I didn't mean to say that…"

"I know. I know that you're just being innocent…Please don't apologize. You can't help what I've gone through in life."

"Well, how about we play a different game then?"

"What kind of game? I couldn't possibly run, for my leg is still healing. Besides, it's too hot to run anyway."

"Well, it's not that kind of game, Erik. I was thinking about playing a question game."

"A question game?"

"Yes…I'll ask you a question and you answer it. So, I'll start… If you could be anything today, what would you be?"

"What do you mean?"

"You could be anything, Erik. Just pick something…No answer is silly. You could tell me that you wanted to be a rainbow and I wouldn't laugh."

"A rainbow? Why would anyone want to be a rainbow?"

Christine shrugged. "I don't know…They really are pretty though. But I thought that maybe you could be every color at once. I think that would be really fun."

"Well…" I thought long and hard about what I was going to say to Christine. What did I want to be? If I could be anything in the world, I would want to be handsome, but I knew that it wouldn't satisfy Christine. No, she wanted me to be silly, therefore, I would be silly for her.

"Well, if I could be anything, I would want to be handsome…But, since we're talking silly talk here, I guess I would want to be a spider."

"Ewww…A spider? Why would you want to be a spider? Oh, wait…Cause you would have lots of legs and eyes right?"

"What? No, of course not, Christine. You see, spiders are known as one of the most hideous and vile creatures around, but in reality, they are good. They eat other bugs that would kill crops on farms, but most of all, they have the right to mate."

"Mate?"

"It means that they have the right to love another spider, just like humans have the right to love other humans."

"Do you really believe what your mother told you?" Christine asked. "About how she said that no one would ever love you?"

"It truly hurts, Christine. Oh, you don't know how badly I wish I could change into something else. But no, I'm forced to live the rest of my days in this hideous body. She is right though… What woman would ever want to look me in the eyes and tell me that she loves me? No one, that's who… I mean, you can't even look me in the eyes. My own friend…"

"I'm sorry, Erik, really I am. I never meant to hurt you. You know…There is something that I could do…Something that I could promise you."

"Promise me?"

"Yes… My papa said that gypsies arrange their marriages. I never knew what that meant, but my papa told me that an arranged marriage is when the papa takes his daughter to another papa who has a son and they are forced to marry each other. I found it strange at first because I didn't understand how they could marry if they didn't love each other, you know? But my papa said that they learn to love one another over time…"

"Christine, no….If you have any ideas about what I think you have ideas about, then the answer is no. I will not force you to marry me. It would be pity… I don't need pity, Christine. I would never be able to live with myself if I had to wake each morning and see you miserable. You are a beautiful girl that will make some man happy one day…That man won't be me."

"But we're friends, Erik… Friends help each other out."

"You would marry me because you're my friend? Just because you're my friend?"

Christine nodded.

"You're just a child, Christine. You don't know what you're saying…I don't even know what I'm saying half the time. The answer is no…Enough about this nonsense."

I got to my feet and dusted my trousers off.

"I believe it's time that we made it back to the house. If we're late, my mother will be out searching for us and that will only lead to a beating."

"But…But you didn't even ask me what I wanted to be. You told me that you wanted to be a spider, but you never asked me what I wanted to be."

"Well, all right, Christine. What is it that you want to be, if you could be anything?"

"I…I want to be someone's wife. I want to make someone happy, just like my mama made my papa happy. He used to tell me how happy mama used to make him. I want to make some man happy, just like my mama used to make my papa happy."

"And I know that you will make someone happy someday, Christine. You make me happy every day. I know that you will make the man that you marry extremely happy and he will be lucky to have you. And if he ever does you wrong, he will have to answer to me."

"Well, maybe that man will be answering to himself because that man will be you."

I knew Christine was wrong, for when she became a woman, those thoughts would simply disappear from her innocent mind. No woman would ever want me, not even my Christine…

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**Christine, you silly child... Anyway, I updated early because of all the reviews. Keep them up! Thanks again, everyone...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Erik's POV**

That was the last whipping I ever allowed my mother to bestow upon me. For the next few years I did nothing but stay in the realm of my basement. It was nearly time for me to leave this place and I knew I would do so very soon. Every holiday seemed to pass without happiness. My mother treated Christine like an angel…She gave the girl everything she could, and yes, on Christmas day my mother did give me a gift, but it wasn't anywhere near the substantial amount that Christine had been given. I couldn't be jealous, for the girl deserved every ounce of love she could get. I wasn't even good enough to give such a thing to something as precious as her.

You are born, you live, and then comes that day when you die. My mother grew weak and when she visited the doctor, he told her that she was sick. But this wasn't the kind of illness one could treat with medicine. My mother wasn't old, but I knew that she was paying for all the wrong she had done in her life. Soon after, she became bed ridden and Christine turned into her nurse. The poor girl did everything for my mother. She cooked, cleaned and she even administered Madeline's medicine. It ached me every single day to see her turn from an innocent girl into a maid. She deserved more! She deserved to be wealthy and singing for all of Rome. She wasn't the innocent child I had once admired anymore. She had grown into a beautiful young lady, one that treated me like an angel.

I was working on some of my scores one afternoon, when I heard some rustling from behind me. After glancing over my shoulder, I noticed that Christine was walking around my room with a laundry basket and picking up my discarded shirts.

"Woman, must you truly do that?"

"Well, dearest Erik, if I don't, then who will? I do hate seeing your room a mess. I was washing some of Madeline's dresses and thought that it wouldn't make a difference to wash some of your clothes either."

"I can wash my own clothes, Christine. I was going to do them as soon as I finished my score," I lied. "Just leave them, girl…"

"Your scores? Oh, what are you writing? Can you play it for me upstairs on the piano?"

Christine tried to look over my shoulder, but I covered my score with my hands.

"Enough…Now, go away and when I am finished you will see."

"You said that you were going to do some wash when you were finished. If that is true, then why don't we do our wash together?"

"Together?"

"Yes, together. You've been down here for days."

"And you've been upstairs tending to Madeline for days."

"What do you suggest I do, Erik? Your mother is sick…"

"No, Christine," I growled. "She is not sick, she's dying. I believe there is a difference, dear… You're simply keeping her alive by nourishing her with food and medicine. It will only be a matter of time before her body begins to reject it."

"Erik, we have been here for the past few years. It would seem wrong if we just let her die. If she is dying, then it is God's will, but until he decides to take her, I will do whatever I can to help her. I know you would do the same for me."

"In a heartbeat, Christine…"

"Well then, why don't you help me along by assisting me with the wash?"

"Very well, angel…"

I placed down my quill and headed towards the stairs with Toby following us. Once we were outside, the loyal dog ran out into the back yard and began running around like he usually did. Christine placed a heavy basket in my hands and motioned to the clothes line that was hanging from two trees.

"Hang those up to dry, dearest Erik. I'm going to wash some of your shirts for you."

As I began to hang up my mother's wet dresses, I couldn't help but find myself staring at Christine. She was so perfect… If there was anything I wanted to do, it was confess my love to her. I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when I thought about her rejecting me. To say that I loved her like a sister would be a lie, for over the years my love had exceeded such barriers. Being around her each day was a blessing, one that made my love grow for her. I wasn't sure how to love someone, but my heart burst with happiness every time she smiled at me.

"Christine, I'm going to leave here soon," I began. "When Madeline dies, I am going to leave this home for good. If I could, I would leave now."

"Madeline is going to leave the house to us, Erik…There is no reason we would have to leave. We could live here."

"No, Christine, she is going to leave the house to you. Madeline is going to leave me nothing… She loves you like a daughter. You were my replacement and she will leave me nothing."

"Don't say that…"

"But you know that it's true, Christine."

"And even if the house is left to me, Erik, I would still want you to be here with me. I would never ask you to leave."

"Christine, I am nearly a man, and you're nearly a woman."

"I didn't know that fourteen was considered being a woman."

"I said nearly…Still, Christine, I need to find a job and I know that no one here would ever give me one. I need to start fresh and the only way to do so is to leave this town. Come if you wish, but I refuse to stay in this hell hole any longer than I must. Too many horrible memories live here…too much for me."

"Erik…"

She was facing me now…Her beautiful eyes were pleading with me, but in my heart, I couldn't give this to her.

"I'm not staying…When Madeline is gone, I will be gone as well. You…You should stay. There will be plenty of suitable men fleeing to your door."

It was a cold thing to say, but it was true. Once Madeline was gone and the house was left to Christine, young men would come fleeing for her hand. Beautiful and rich men… With that being said, I flew past her and back into the house. I scrambled back to my basement room and sobbed into my hands. I would never be good enough for Christine and the more I stayed, the more I hurt.

"Erik?"

A little while later, I heard a knock at my door and then, Christine's sweet voice. I had fallen asleep over my work and now, my shoulders were aching from the uncomfortable position I had placed myself in.

"What?" I snapped. "Is it too much to want to be alone?"

"Your mother has requested to see you."

"Well, she's not the queen of England. Tell her that I do not wish to see her."

"She…She said that it's urgent."

I quickly fixed my dark hair and adjusted my mask before fleeing up the stairs. I didn't even give Christine a single glance as I headed towards the stairwell that would take me to Madeline's room. When I was at her door, I lightly knocked and entered with my hands gracefully folded behind my back. This had been the first time I had seen Madeline in weeks and she didn't look like the Madeline I once knew. Her face was nothing but bone and her complexion was a deathly pale color. She was most certainly not the most beautiful woman in town anymore…But then again, death is known to do that to a person.

"Erik," she weakly purred. "Come closer…"

I rolled my eyes and stepped right beside her bed. I wasn't sure what she wanted, but I was about to find out.

"Do you know why I have summoned you here?"

"No, Madeline, I do not know why you have summoned me here, but I hope you make it quick. I was in the middle of something important."

"And now because you're a man, you believe that you can treat me just like I once treated you?"

"I guess I believe in the old saying of "Treat others the way one would wish to be treated."

"I could have loved you, you know?" she began. "When I got pregnant with you, there were no words in this world to describe how excited I was to finally be having a child of my own. And then, I got landed with you. It was utterly disappointing… My husband died and left me with you. God didn't even give me a beautiful son to name after my poor Charles."

"Are you finished with me now? I don't care to stand here while you badger me as if I'm not standing beside you. I'm not a something, Madeline… I am a human being, face or no face. Like it or not, I am unfortunately your son. Your blood runs through my veins."

"And I should have smothered you, like the midwife told me to do. You shouldn't have been able to live. You, Erik, are an abomination."

"Then why did you allow me to continue living? There has to be some reason as to why you allowed me to live. You nourished me and kept me alive…Why?"

"Because I was a lonely widow! Do you think I wanted to keep a monster like you around if I didn't find the need to? If Charles were still here, I wouldn't have let you live. I would have just replaced you with another child from him, a perfect one."

"You didn't need your dear Charles to replace me, Madeline… You have replaced me with Christine. She is perfect, isn't she? Though, I guess I can't be angry over this, for she deserves every ounce of love given to her. I only wish that I could do the same…"

"Don't you even think about tainting her with your hideous self. She deserves better, Erik, and by God she will have better. I know that I will be gone soon, and I am leaving everything to her. She has been the daughter I never had and it will always be that way. You don't deserve her, and I hope she breaks your heart."

"She…She already has."

"Not yet she hasn't…"

From on my mother's night table, she lifted two glasses and handed one to me.

"My dying wish, Erik…"

"And what would this dying wish me?"

"To drink with me…To toast to the afterlife…"

"May you rot in hell," I said, raising my glass and taking my first sip.

"You're going to pay for that, you little toad…"

Though, as soon as the liquid hit my mouth, it began to burn, so much, that I dropped to my knees and grabbed my throat. Something was wrong…Something was terribly wrong!

"May you rot in hell, Erik…"

My mother was coughing and laughing at the same time. Had she poisoned my drink? No, this couldn't be poison… No, it was something worse, for it felt as though my insides were burning. Soon, I began to feel blood trickling down from the side of my mouth. No, I knew this liquid all too well. The gypsies sometimes used it to torture their victims… This liquid was acid! My mother was no longer alive, for she had taken her last breath. But here I was, still alive while my flesh was being eaten away by this horrible substance!

"Dearest Erik?"

When I heard a knock at the door, I looked up and knew that any moment from now Christine would be coming in. I didn't want her to see me this way, but it was too late, for the door opened and the tea cups she had been holding smashed into a million pieces on the floor.

* * *

**So, yes...Erik is grown, his mother is now dead and Christine is Christine... I think it's safe to say that their childhood is just about over. Time to move forward. Please let me know what you think! Thank you, everyone!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Christine's POV**

My world came crashing down the moment I opened that door and spotted Erik gushing blood while Madeline lay deceased in her bed. I wasn't sure what had transpired in the last few moments, but whatever it was couldn't have been any good.

"Erik!" I called his name as I ran to his side and attempted to help him to his feet, but he shooed me away. I had been bringing Madeline's cup of tea upstairs, but the moment I spotted Erik, I dropped the entire tray.

"I…I need to go get the doctor," I cried. "I'll bring him back…"

I knew Erik didn't want to see a doctor, but I needed to fetch one anyway for Madeline. She was dead now and there were certain things that needed taking care of. When I brought him back, the man was a little skeptical about dealing with Erik, but he scooped the thin man up into his arms and carried him to his room. I paced back and forth outside of my angel's room, praying that he would be all right. For an hour I did this, and when the doctor emerged, my face was filled with concern.

"Your friend was lucky. If he would have swallowed the acid, his insides would have bleed out. Luckily, it only burned his cheeks."

"His cheeks?"

The doctor nodded. "His flesh was sensitive enough with his deformity, but now, his skin will be forever marked with hideous scars once his wounds heal. I left some medicine on the night table…A salve that must be applied twice a day for the next few weeks. Once when he wakes and once before he goes to bed at night."

"He…He rarely sleeps, sir."

"Well, he should find some time to do so. As for Madame Mulheim, I don't know what should be done about her body. She hasn't purchased a plot in the local graveyard. When I spoke to her son, he suggested that she be buried in the backyard of the house."

"If that is what Erik wishes to do then it will be done."

"I'll notify the bank and will have someone come over tomorrow with Madeline's final will and testament."

**Erik's POV**

My mother didn't deserve to be buried anywhere. If anything, she deserved to be burned and have her ashes bottled up. Her soul would never be free to blow in the wind. No, she would be trapped and placed over the fireplace mantel. That was all she deserved. She was gone, and yet, I was still chained…Chained in invisible handcuffs. As if my deformity wasn't bad enough…Now, I would be scarred as well. As I lay there on the pillows and blankets of my bed, I raised my hand to touch my bandaged face. It hurt…Oh, how my flesh ached and burned at the same time. I should have swallowed the acid, for if I had, I would have been dead right now. That is what I wanted…I wanted to be dead. My mother obviously thought that I deserved to die, for she had attempted to take me with her. But she was dead now, and I would think of her no longer.

"Erik?"

A soft voice pulled me from my thoughts. It was Christine and I knew that she was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Erik, may I come down and speak with you?"

When I didn't answer her, I heard footsteps slowly coming down each stair. I was lying with my back facing her, and I was glad, for she didn't need to see the bandages and my hideous face.

"Erik, what did your mother do to you?"

"Don't call her that," I choked. "Don't call that evil woman such a thing."

"Y…You sound like you're in agony. Oh, Erik, I'm so sorry."

"You're not sorry…You're the one who wanted to stay here."

"I'm sorry…Oh, Erik, I'm so sorry."

I felt Christine wrapping her arms around me, but I couldn't stand to cry any longer. If I cried, my cheeks would be burning.

"T…The banker is going to come over tomorrow. He's going to go over Madeline's will."

"I don't care about her will."

"Erik…Erik, look at me."

I pressed my eyes closed and tried to fight her, but the girl turned me over. Her hand instantly shot to her mouth, for the extensive bandaging was not only frightening, but shocking as well.

"Look at you…Your face… It's covered in bandages. Y…You look like a mummy."

Christine placed her finger against the surface of my nose…There was no nose! It was bandaged, but it was flat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she took in the realization that I didn't have a nose.

"Stop looking at me!" I cried. "Stop looking at me, Christine. Seeing your fear is breaking my heart, don't you understand?!"

"Erik…"

"No! If it wasn't for these bandages covering my hideous appearance, you wouldn't be able to even look at me. I don't have a nose! Does this disgust you! I don't have a nose…I don't have anything worth looking at. You're nearly a woman now and the way you look at me is as if I am the most hideous person on this earth. I probably am…"

Toby must have heard my voice, for I heard him barking. Next thing I knew, I heard his large feet pitter-pattering down each stair. Though, as soon as he turned the corner and spotted my bandaged face, he cried and ran back up the stairs with his tail tucked between his legs. Oh, even Christine's dog couldn't even stand the sight of me.

"I can't stay here any longer…"

I shot to my feet and pushed past Christine. I ran up the stairs and out the back door. Christine was calling my name, but I wasn't listening to her. I made it to the wooden fence, when I felt her hands upon my shoulders.

"Erik, stop…I don't want you to run away. You can't help the way you were born."

"No, you're right…But that doesn't mean that the world will not turn me away. They already have. You've done so as well."

"When have I ever turned the other cheek, Erik? Have I not helped you? Have I not treated you like my brother?"

"I don't wish to be treated like a brother! I am tired of being second best to you."

"You are not second best."

"But I am. My mother came before me with everything. Whatever she needed came before what I needed. She might have treated you like her daughter, Christine, but you're not. She might have bought you presents and bragged to the town about you, but you are not her daughter!"

"Then what am I, Erik?" she cried. "A poor violinist's daughter? An orphan? Is that what I am to you?! I may have been an orphan, Erik, but your mother gave me a home. That's more than you've ever given me, you monster…"

The words cut me to the core. I couldn't bear to stay here any longer. The girl repented her words the moment she said them, for she went running after me. I ran into the house and broke everything in my path. I brought down cabinets and smashed vases and plates. Everything that was blocking my path became destroyed. I ran down into the basement and slammed the door behind me, locking it as I did so.

"Erik! Erik, open up…I didn't mean it! I'm sorry…."

But I wasn't listening to her. I couldn't stay here any longer. I needed to get away from this house and Christine. I didn't want to be her brother, I wanted her to be my lover. To see her everyday was like a dagger to my heart. I began packing everything I owned into a messenger bag I had made out of an old potato sack a few years ago. I packed light, only packing what was absolutely essential. Afterwards, I tore the bandages off of my face and replaced it with my white mask. Christine…I would never be accepted by her. She was an angel who deserved the world, and I didn't have it to give. The world hated me, and so, I would hate it right back. I didn't leave her a note, nor did I seek her out. I simply got up and left in the middle of the night while she slept.

"Go away, Toby," I cooed as I opened the front gate and saw him running towards me. "It's not safe. You need to stay here with Christine…she needs you."

I locked the gate and turned my back. Everything was just too painful. I didn't want to say goodbye, for goodbye was forever. Toby didn't listen to me, for as soon as the gate was locked, he backed up and jumped over the fence.

"I…I guess it's just the two of us now. A mutt and his hideous master."

The cloak that was covering my body shielded me from the world and its cruelty. I had no money or any idea on where I was headed, but at least I was away from Christine. She didn't love me and I knew that she never would.

"Christine will be better off without me," I said. "She won't have to go through the humiliation of being with a hideous monster."

**Christine's POV**

What I had said to Erik was beyond cruel. A monster…I can't believe I even allowed the words to slip from my lips. Usually, when I was with Erik I picked my words wisely, but I was just so angry at him that I didn't think. I waited for him to come out of his room that night, but he never emerged. I tried to stay awake for as long as I could, but eventually, I gave up and went to my room. I thought that I would wake and find him burying Madeline in the backyard, but when I looked out the kitchen window, the yard was untouched and vacant.

"My poor Erik…"

Deciding to make it up to him, I cooked Erik his favorite breakfast of eggs and potatoes and approached his bedroom door. I could only hope that he was in better spirits today.

"Erik? Erik, are you awake? I…I wanted to talk to you."

I knocked and didn't get a response.

"Erik, I…I made you your favorite breakfast."

When he didn't answer again, I looked around the corner and whistled for Toby.

"Toby?! Toby, here boy… Come on! We're going to have breakfast with Erik."

The house was quiet, too quiet for my liking. Finally deciding to invade Erik's privacy, I came down the stairs of the basement.

"Erik? Erik, are you down here?"

Everything was gone! Everything was completely gone! Erik had packed and he was gone!

"No…No!"

I ran up the stairs and frantically searched the yard for both Erik and Toby, but they were gone! Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I hurried around the yard calling both Erik and Toby's names. Finally, I heard a knock at the door and smiled…He hadn't left after all…

"Erik, oh, Erik, I'm so sorry!" I yelled as I went running to the door. "I won't ever say such a thing to you again, I promise!"

And then, as I pulled open the door, my arms flew around the legs of some tall figure. I had prayed to my papa that he would let it be Erik, but as the moments passed and I opened my eyes, I realized that this wasn't my Erik.

"Um…Excuse me, I'm looking for Christine."

This wasn't my Erik…This wasn't my sweet angel who would read me bedtime stories and keep me company. No, this was just the man from the bank. I no longer cared about the house Madeline left me, or all of her possessions. No, all I wanted was my Erik and Toby back… But they were gone, gone and they were never coming back...

* * *

**So, that ends the chapter of their childhood... Can anyone guess where the next stop is for our characters? First person to get it right gets a visit from Erik on his way to his new destination! Please review...**


	17. Chapter 17

**Christine's POV**

Everything had been left to me. Madeline didn't leave Erik a single trinket and I couldn't help but feel sorry for all the adoration I had bestowed upon her. I had allowed Madeline to treat me as though I were her daughter and in the end, I never thought twice about Erik. The man only wanted to love and be loved in return. I felt terrible, for I couldn't even give him that. I needed to find my angel, I needed to tell him that I was sorry and that I didn't want to end things as they were. But he was gone…I searched day and night for him, but he was gone. I always thought that I would find him in town, or at the bazaar, but every time I went, I was let down. My Erik was truly gone, and I knew that he was never coming back. It hurt my heart each night that I thought about him, but this had been my fault.

"I'm sorry, Erik…" I sobbed into my pillow. "All I want is for you to come home."

But I knew that crying would get me nowhere, for Erik was gone, and he couldn't hear my prayers.

**Erik's POV**

The world was a cruel and despicable place. For two years, I struggled to live in the place where the scum of the earth roamed. At first, I had attempted to sell my music, but of course, there were no opera houses to be found where I had ventured to. Selling music had not kept Toby and I nourished. I stole at first to keep the two of us afloat, and then, I turned to working odd jobs here and there. The work was hard and some days it was hot, but at the end of the day, at least I had a full stomach. It was always the same… I would stay with a job for a few days and then, when the other workers would become curious about my face, I knew that it was time to flee. I knew that I would never feel safe around other people… They couldn't be trusted. Eventually, I snuck Toby and myself onto a cargo ship. I wasn't sure where it was headed, but anywhere was better than where I currently was. The ship was carrying cargo in large crates…I wasn't sure what the items were, but I kept our heads down. I made us a small area to live in. It wasn't much, but it had a mirror and a small sink, and that would have to do. There wasn't a day that went by where I didn't think of Christine. She was perfect, and I was a monster, one who wasn't good enough for her.

One night while Toby lay sleeping, I approached the small sink and pulled off my mask. When I dared to look up at my appearance, I cringed, for the wounds on my face had finally healed. Though, they did not heal like other cuts and bruises would heal. Scars! I was covered in scars. I pressed my eyes closed and sobbed into my hands. I was hideous… Oh, so hideous.

"Where will I ever be accepted, Toby? I…I can't do anything right. Perhaps Madeline was right. Maybe I will never be accepted in this world. I try, Toby, really, I try…"

I splashed some water on my face before placing my mask back on. I knew in a few days we would be arriving at our new home, and I could only hope that it would be better than my last. It was a new world, one that was hot and desert like. Persia…It was a bustling place filled with men and women dressed in colorful robes. I seemed to be a fish out of water, but the sights, sounds and smells were something extraordinary to me. I kept Toby close to me as we headed into the crowds. People were staring at me, but I kept my head down. I didn't want to draw unwanted attention to me, and I knew that I would do exactly that if I made eye contact with anyone.

"Come along, Toby," I said, patting the faithful dog on the side. "Keep moving."

I wasn't sure how I got there, but I soon arrived at a camp of some sort…It was a camp that was lined with tents, tents filled with performers. There were jugglers and men swallowing fire. The sight of it amazed me… Everyone seemed to keep to themselves and I sensed that I would be left alone here. My tent, of course was pitiful compared to the others, for I had to make mine out of a few blankets I found in a heap of garbage. I sewed them together and placed my home away from the other tents. It wasn't much at the end of the day, but it was home…Home, to think that I would ever be living in a desert with no one to speak to but my dog. At least I had my violin… It was the only large thing I had considered bringing along. When the sun finally went down, I pulled out the instrument and began to play it…

Toby happily wagged his tail and sat at my feet as I played on and on.

"Christine, how I love you…"

I did…I missed her more than anything in the world. I hadn't seen the girl in two years. She was probably married by now. Perhaps she even had a few children of her own. It didn't matter, for she had saved my life once, and now, I had left her to live my own It was the best thing to do, for I knew that I was nothing to her but a burden.

"It's better this way, Toby…" I said, after placing the violin down in my lap. "Christine deserved better and now she has the chance to do so without me interfering… I knew that she liked that fop. It was me who prevented her from continuing their friendship."

The camp Toby and I now lived in was our only way of making money. I was not accustomed to Persia's way of life yet and I knew that I would be taking my life into my hands if I dared to seek a job elsewhere. I would trust no one, therefore, I needed to stay close to my tent. I wasn't sure what kind of thieves and thugs were living around me. When the crowds began to show up, I took a few trinkets from out of my luggage and set everything up. It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now. To draw the crowds to my tent, I began playing the violin while Toby danced around. This was only to draw their attention. People had been watching the jugglers and sword swallowers, but as soon as they spotted Toby jumping around, they began t wander my way...as if anyone never saw a dancing dog before… I could get Toby to do anything I wished, training him was easy.

The children loved him, and a few coins were tossed my way. But this was only the beginning. Once I had nearly twenty people gathered around my tent, I stopped playing and picked up a deck of cards.

"A trick, Madame's and Monsieur's… I need a volunteer. Anyone, anyone…"

I knew that these people were frightened by my French accent, for no one came forward. Well, if no one was going to volunteer, then I was going to have to improvise.

"My volunteer…Toby! Thank you, Toby for being the only one willing to do this trick with me."

I spread out the deck of cards in my hands and placed them in front of Toby.

"Toby, pick a card, any card…Don't show it to me. I want you to show this card to the audience and then, place it back into the deck."

I looked away as Toby picked out a card with his teeth and faced the crowds of people. After I felt him place it back into the deck, I shuffled up the cards and began rooting through them to find his card.

"The Ace of spades…" I pulled out the card and showed it to the audience, and oh, how they applauded me. Coins were tossed my way as I began conjuring a new trick to perform.

"How much for the dog?"

I was about to make a rag disappear, when I heard someone shout out the outrageous question. My trick suddenly came to a halt and a large Middle Eastern man stepped forward.

"I asked you a question. How much do you want for the dog?"

"Sorry, monsieur, he's not for sale. Toby is my friend and I will not be selling him."

"There is a price for everything, good man. Now, I expect you to give me that price."

I stepped in front of Toby and shook my head. "I'll say it again, sir. Toby is my friend and he is not for sale."

"Magic tricks? I don't believe in them for a single second. Your mask, take it off."

Now I was backing away… This man was ordering me to take off my mask. The crowds of people began to chatter, and now, they too were ordering me to take off my mask. Toby stepped in front of me and began to growl. I knew he was trying to protect me from these evil people, but the truth of it was that I was ready to protect myself.

"Men in Persia do not wear masks. You will take it off…"

The man reached out to pull away my mask, when I grabbed his hand and pushed him away.

"Oh, you like to fight, do you? I will fight you…"

The man pulled out a knife and was coming towards me now, when all of a sudden, Toby attacked him. My loyal friend clamped his jaws around the man's wrist, causing him to drop the knife. Chaos ensued, for now there was loud commotion coming up from ahead and I could see a man riding in on a large white stallion. Toby instantly backed off the man, and ran behind me as the horse galloped its way towards my tent.

"What in the name of Allah is going on here!" a tall man in armor shouted. He jumped down from his horse and looked at me. He had dark raven hair and skin the color of almonds. He pulled out his sword, demanding answers, but I had none to give.

"This freak's dog attacked me!" the man cried. "I was minding my own business and he attacked me."

"That's not true!" I cried. "He attacked first. I was only trying to make an honest living on some magic tricks. He threatened me, and my dog was only protecting me."

The guard turned to the man and gave him an evil expression.

"Is this true, Akin?"

Akin? That must have been the man's name.

"No, sir…"

"I don't believe you for a single second. Leave the masked man alone and get on with your day."

"Men are not supposed to wear masks in Persia, sir… The Shah has forbidden it."

The guard turned towards me and pointed his knife towards my neck.

"I don't know where you're from, young man, but Akin is right. The Shah has forbidden any kind of masks on men."

"I…I can't take it off, sir…"

"And why in Allah not?!"

"I…I don't have a face."

The crowd became silent and the guard looked towards his people.

"Well, you heard the man…He doesn't have a face. On with your day now…All of you!"

The guard headed towards his horse but before leaving, he turned to me one last time and tossed me a lasso of some sort.

"Keep your head down and your dog on a leash, boy…"

"I will keep my head down, but my dog will never be on a leash."

"Your mouth will get you into trouble one day…"

And with that, I was left alone again…alone, but not poor, for the coins I had made with my magic tricks was enough to keep Toby and I fed for a few days.

* * *

**DING DING DING! We have a winner... The first reviewer who correctly guessed the answer without guessing multiple answers was PhantomLilac. Congrats! I hope Erik stopped by for a visit before continuing to Persia. As for Christine, I have plans for her, so stay tuned! Please review everyone... **


	18. Chapter 18

**Erik's POV**

That night after Toby and I ate, we had laid down to try to sleep. I drifted off for a few minutes, only to wake and find the man from earlier standing over me. He placed his hand over my mouth and hauled me to my feet.

"I'm taking your puppy and I'm going to see your face…"

The man attempted to pull off my mask, when Toby jumped up and bit him in the neck. I had to protect my friend…The man had a knife and was threatening to kill him. I immediately began to search for anything to help me defeat this man, and all I saw was the lasso the guard had given me. I took it in hand and wrapped it around the man's neck, cutting off his air supply…

"You let my dog go!"

Suddenly, the man took his knife and jabbed it into my chest, causing everything to come to a standstill. He pulled off my mask and smiled.

"My, my, freak…You sure are hideous. Enough is enough…"

"No, I don't think it's enough…"

I heard a strange voice, only to turn and spot the guard from earlier standing behind my assailant. I thought that I was in trouble now, but instead of the man continuing to hurt me, the guard took out his sword and stabbed the man who was attacking me. I had never seen a man die before, for this was my first. The guard pushed the man's dead body off me and I thought he was going to kill me too. I closed my eyes and curled up into a ball…I was going to die now. I just knew that I was going to die.

"You've been through enough today, don't you think?"

I opened my eyes again, only to see the man's face filled with a look of disgust.

"You poor man…"

He handed me my mask and I placed it back over my face.

"I…I'm not a poor man. I don't need your help. I've been through worse things than this."

"You're hurt…Let me help you, you poor creature."

"I…I'm not a creature."

"Just let me help you."

"I…I can't trust you. I trust no one, do you hear me? No one!"

"Your wounds will become septic. Come with me and I will help you."

The man held out his hand, but I didn't want to accept it.

"Your dog can come too…"

"I can't leave my things unattended."

"Well, we best gather your things then."

I couldn't move so the guard collected my things and packed them on his horse.

"Here, let me help you…" the guard said, extending his hand to me.

I didn't accept his hand, but I stood to my feet and followed him. He allowed me to ride on his horse while he led him through the desert. I wasn't sure where we were going, but when we arrived at a house made of stone, I began to get skittish. I couldn't believe that I had actually trusted him.

"This is my home…If you want to come inside, I'll fix you up."

When the guard noticed that I wasn't getting off the horse, he sighed and put away his sword.

"If the sword is scaring you, I'm sorry. I am well known around the palace. I'm a guard for the Shah of Persia. I won't hurt you, I promise… When I'm not at work, I enjoy spending my time here with my family. I have a five year old son named Reza…"

"A son?"

I was holding my hand against my chest to keep in the blood, but I was finding it hard to stay awake.

"Yes, a son. Come on now…Come down and I'll help you."

I tried getting down, but I wound up falling and landing on the hard ground below. I blacked out then, not knowing what was going to happen next.

When I awoke, I noticed that I was lying on something soft, and I could feel needles pricking my sore flesh. The guard was standing at my side and was sewing me up…

"Your wounds will heal with the help of Allah. In the meantime, you will rest here. I can't imagine sending you back to that horrible camp."

"I can take care of myself…"

"I don't think you can. I have medicine that one could only get if they work for the Shah. Without it, I'm afraid your wounds would become septic. Stay here and I can promise you that you will not only be safe, but you'll be cool. The heat is something deadly…"

I tried to move, but found that I couldn't.

"Just relax, man…This is the most comfortable bed in my household. I am happy to lend it to you. As I have said before, you've been through enough."

A glass of liquid was held against my lips and I took in its sweet taste.

"Thank you…"

"I don't think that we've been properly introduced. My name is Nadir Khan, but everyone calls me Daroga…"

"Will monsieur Khan be sufficient?"

"No one has ever been so proper with me before…I guess I wouldn't mind being called that, if you insist."

I snuggled my masked face into my pillow and sighed. This was indeed the most comfortable bed I have ever lied in.

"And, are you going to tell me what your name is?"

"My name is whatever you wish it to be. You pick… Monster, demon, freak, hobo…Those are just a few of the ones you have to choose from. There is only one person in this world that has ever referred to me as my birth name."

"Well, I would be more than happy to call you by your birth name."

"It's Erik…"

"Erik? You don't come off as an Erik."

"Funny, my mother thought the very same thing…She couldn't even name me after my own father. No, she named me after a complete stranger."

"But aren't we all strangers in this world?"

It was strange, for I enjoyed this man's way with words. For once in my life, I didn't feel alone…It was as if I could relate to him by the way that he spoke.

"You should get your rest now…It's late and sadly, I have to be in work within the next few hours."

Toby was lying at my feet, a gesture that automatically calmed me down. I knew if he sensed that this place was filled with danger, he would have been barking and growling at this Nadir man. That night, I dreamed of Christine… Oh, how I missed her and hated her at the same time. I missed her smile, her cooking, her laugh! There wasn't anything that I didn't miss…Well, her cruel words, perhaps. I hated when she would say mean things to me, but they were all true. I was indeed a monster, one that would never be anything in this world. My wounds hurt me all night. They started off as an irritating burn and turned to throbbing heat. I fisted the bed sheets with my hands and groaned in my sleep.

"Monsieur?"

Christine? I heard a soft voice and my eyes instantly opened. Was I back home? Was Christine truly standing outside of my bedroom door? I tried to sit up, but I found it nearly impossible to do so, for this was not a dream. My chest was still wounded and I was indeed still in this Persian man's home.

"Monsieur, may I come in?"

This voice was indeed female, that being the reason why I scurried to pulled the blankets up over my bare chest. I didn't need to frighten any women today with the horrible sight of my body.

"Y…Yes…"

I pressed my head back against my pillows and waited for this girl to enter. When she did, I noticed that this was not Christine. No, this was some Persian woman dressed in robes and had her hair pinned up. She placed a tray down on my bedside table and began mixing some kind of substance in a bowl.

"A…Are you Nadir's wife?"

"Me? Oh, heavens no…I am just his live in maid. His wife was taken by Allah nearly four years ago. She died giving birth to their son."

"W…Where is he now?"

"Reza? He's downstairs."

"No, Monsieur Khan."

"He waited for you to wake, but when you didn't, he had to depart for the palace. He sent me here in his place to give you your medicine. He promised me that he would be back in time to see you before dinner."

"Y…You can just leave this here and I will tend to myself, thank you."

"As you wish, monsieur."

"It's Erik…You don't have to be so proper with me."

"In that case, my name is Senna. If you should need me, Erik, I will be downstairs tending to Reza. Call, if you need me."

When the woman left, I pulled myself up into a sitting position and began rummaging around the different things that had been placed on the tray. The first thing I noticed was a salve to rub over the wound Nadir had stitched for me. Undoing the bandages were anything but pleasant, but once they were off, I stumbled over to the small mirror that was hanging on the wall and gazed at the hideous mark. That bastard had gotten me good, for the slash was over three inches long. I groaned and bit my deformed lip as I ran the hot salve over the stitches.

"New bandages…" I cursed, rummaging through the cabinets that were below the small basin. "Toby, did you see where this Khan man placed the bandages last night?"

I backed up to have a better look beneath the cabinet, only when I did, I stepped into an empty chamber pot that was on the floor. This caused me to stumble backwards and fall on my butt.

The loud commotion must have caught someone's attention downstairs, for the next thing I knew, I saw the door to my bedroom opening.

"Mr. Erik, are you all right?"

Senna came running to my side, but the moment she spotted my scar covered chest, she placed her hand to her mouth to cover the screams that wanted to emerge.

"I…I'm sorry. I…I just came up here to see if you were all right."

There had been a blanket at my side, one that I instantly used to cover myself with. It didn't matter if this girl was afraid, for all I ever did was scare people.

"I was looking for bandages…"

"I'll…I'll get some for you."

The girl ran out of my room and left me there on the floor. Feeling angered, I kicked away the chamber pot and used the banister for support in order to get me to my feet.

"Think about what she would have done if she would have seen my face," I said to Toby.

I kept the blanket wrapped around my exposed chest until Senna returned with the bandages I had requested. She placed them down beside me and opened her mouth to probably apologize, but there was no need for it.

"You're not the first person who has wanted to scream at me," I said, holding up my hand to stop her from trying to intervene. "Everyone who has ever seen any part of me is instantly afraid. Nadir pitied me, and that is the reason why I am here now. He called me a "poor creature." Do you think that I am a creature, Senna?"

"I don't even know you, Erik."

"But you know what I am. You saw the scars…"

"Perhaps, but I don't think scars would make you a creature."

"And if I am not a creature, what am I?"

"I…I don't know, Erik."

I sighed and looked down at the bandages.

"Thank you for these…I don't need your assistance anymore."

When she was gone, I tossed the bandages towards the window and buried my masked face into my hands. If I wasn't a human, nor a creature, then what was I? And where did I belong?

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**Nadir to the rescue! Please review...Oh, and I just published my second book! I'm going to try an figure out how to get my website out to you all. Thanks, everyone!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Erik's POV**

I did not emerge from my room that day. I stayed in the confinements I had been chained to once more and rested my sore body. Toby stayed with me the entire time, his head always resting on my lap. He was the only friend I had in this world. When I heard a knock that evening on my door, I rose and approached it, being cautious as to who I was going to let in.

"Erik, it's Nadir…"

Making sure my mask was intact, I pulled open the heavy door and came face to face with the Persian man.

"May I come in?"

I nodded and walked back to my bed. From there, I pulled my knees into my chest and gazed out the window at the sky which was now becoming a dark purple and orange color. Who knew that such beauty could be found in a place like this.

"Has Senna checked on you today?"

"She has…Though, I don't require her assistance, Monsieur Khan. I…I prefer to be left alone."

"I see… Well, how are your wounds? Sore, I'm guessing, but you seem to be getting around all right."

"I have had worse done to me. I've come to know nothing but pain, therefore, I ignore it. Weakness is something I don't tolerate."

"Good, then you will be happy to hear that I got you a job."

"I don't need your pity. I can go back to the performing grounds… In fact, I'm going to be going back tomorrow."

"And what? Have yourself attacked again. I don't know where you're from and I don't want to get into your personal business, but here in Persia, the performing grounds are filled with thugs and thieves."

"And just how do you know that I am not one of those thieves? You don't know a damn thing about me, Khan! You scooped me up and brought me to your home and you don't even know a thing about me. How do you know that I won't cut your throat in the night and take all your possessions? You don't know…"

"I have lived here my entire life, Erik, and I have the ability to look into someone's eyes and see their soul. You wouldn't do that to me, or any other man. You have a hard shell on the outside, but inside, you're soft."

"How beautiful," I sarcastically replied.

"You deserve better, and as I have said before, I don't know your story, but I wish to help. I can get you back on your feet."

When I didn't answer him, the Persian took a seat on the end of my bed and continued.

"I believe I told you this before, but I am a guard for the Shah of Persia. It is my duty to make sure that his land and its people are in order. The performing grounds are just one area that I patrol. I have more problems with that area than it's worth, really… Anyway, today one of the Shah's master masons was killed in a work accident. He's in the middle of expanding his palace and is pushing to get it done before the end of summer. Do you know anything about bricks?"

"I'm good with my hands."

"The work is backbreaking, but as you've said before, you don't believe in weakness. If you'll agree to the job, I'll take you there tomorrow. You'll do great as long as you keep your head down and work."

"Should be no problem for me."

The Persian patted me on the back, an action that I instantly flinched from.

"Sorry…" Nadir stood up and wrapped his arms behind his back. "Senna made dinner. I was hoping you would come down and meet my son."

"I'd rather not…I'm not even hungry, but thank you for the offer."

"If you say so, Erik. Until tomorrow then…"

When the Persian left, I locked the door behind him and took a seat on the windowsill. From my window, I could see the Shah's palace. It was far away, but from my window, it still seemed so beautiful. If only I had a beautiful face… I could have lived in a palace and given Christine the best life money could offer. But no, I was here and in hell…

The following morning I made sure to be up and dressed before Nadir would come for me. Truth be told that I hadn't slept a wink the entire night. There were very little times that I did sleep, due to the nightmares that played out within my mind.

"Ah, you're up and ready to go… Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," I lied. "Very well, thank you."

"Good, well we shall ride to the palace…I will show you around."

If there was one thing I didn't do, it was trust this man. He might have been offering to help me, but after the life I have lived, I found that no one could be trusted. The part of the palace that was being expanded was huge and filled with dust. Nadir handed me a few of the blue prints and brought me to the spot I would be working at. It seemed pretty simple, and therefore, I kept my head down while I laid mortar and bricks all afternoon. It was indeed back breaking, but I didn't complain. This was much better than performing like a monkey and making nothing. I knew there were eyes watching me, but I kept to myself and hoped that they would do the same.

"These prints are ridiculous," I began after noticing how these bricks were being laid. Now, I didn't know much about building things, but I knew that if we continued laying bricks like the way we were laying them, the palace would collapse in time. We were being forced to stack them instead of leveling them out and placing them sort of pyramid style. I didn't say a word to anyone…No, I simply began laying the bricks as I thought they should have been laid.

"So, how was your first day?" Nadir questioned.

I was covered in dust and my bones ached, but it felt good to be paid for the work I had done.

"All right."

"I was thinking that we could celebrate…Senna is making a delicious meal."

"I think I'm going to spend the rest of the evening in my room. I'm quite tired and tomorrow I have to go back again. I thank you, Nadir…Your kindness is appreciated."

As soon as we walked through the doors, a small child ran into Nadir's arms and hugged him.

"Reza! Ah, Erik, you must meet Reza, he is quite the child."

I was already on the stairs when I glanced at the boy. Though, I did not say a word. If this child feared me, I would never be able to forgive myself.

"Goodnight, Monsieur Khan…"

Once I was in my bedroom, I disrobed and washed my gritty body. When I was once again clean, I removed my mask and lay down on my bed. The long hot day had exhausted me, so much that I quickly fell asleep…

"No… Stop!" I tossed and turned in a fitful sleep, screaming out pleas and warnings from my nightmares. "Enough! Don't…Don't hurt me!"

I jolted awake, sweat pouring down my face. I quickly got out of bed and ran to the sink to splash some water on my face. After taking a few much needed breaths, I wallowed back to bed and shut my eyes. Sleep was never a kind thing, which was why I found it hard to do. I knew I must have woken the Persian, for after crawling back into bed, I heard footsteps walking away from my door. The following morning, I made sure that I was ready to depart with Nadir to the palace. Like usual, I walked beside his horse as he rode on the saddle.

"Do you have trouble sleeping at night?"

"Why do you ask? Were you the one who was eavesdropping at my door last night?"

"I didn't mean to, Erik, but…I…I heard you screaming out in your sleep."

"They're called nightmares, Persian. I think we all have them every once in a while. Now, I am going to ask you to mind your own business."

I knew Nadir was about to say something, when another guard came running up to us. The man drew out his sword and pointed it my way.

"Ali, what are you doing?" Nadir questioned. "You know that this is Erik…He is the new master mason."

"The Shah has requested that he be brought before the throne at once."

The man attempted to reach out and grab my arm, but I violently pulled away. The sword was pressed against my chest now, and Nadir jumped down from his horse to save me.

"I'll escort him to the Shah myself…"

With that, Nadir interlaced his arm with my own and began pulling me in the opposite direction.

"Why would the Shah request to see me?"

"I'm not sure, but you best behave. The man is a greedy and sadistic monster…He will kill a man if he doesn't like his appearance."

"Such loving words, Khan…"

"Don't speak to him unless you are told to do so, do you understand? I am a guard, Erik, and I wouldn't want to be told to kill you."

When the doors to the main room opened, I was met with about fifty other guards who were lined up before the throne. And there, on the throne sat a young man dressed in Persia's best robes and shoes…around his neck, he wore a necklace of bones. Nadir threw me down to my knees and I was forced to look up at the handsome Shah. His golden eyes glistened as he sat back in his throne and gazed my way.

"Are you the one who has been stacking the bricks wrong?"

"Not wrong , your highness…"

The moment I corrected the Shah, a guard came out from his spot and cracked his long whip against my back three times.

"How dare you correct the all mighty one!"

"This boy has a sassy mouth," the Shah began. "I'd like to hear what he has to say."

"The bricks," I began. "They will crumble in a few years time."

"And just how do you know this?"

I didn't know what to say, but Nadir came running to my aid.

"Your highness, I am terribly sorry that I haven't told you before. This is Erik, Erik of Egypt. He helped build some of the buildings and pyramids."

The Shah stood up. "Is that so?"

"My…My brother found him and brought him to me."

"The bricks will crumble? I want you to show me!"

I was dragged back to my work area in the palace, accompanied by the guards and the Shah. Once everyone noticed the Shah entering, they stopped working and knelt in his honor.

"Well, go on, Erik of Egypt! Show me what you mean."

I nervously took a hammer and approached one of the stacks of bricks. I took a swing at it and the bricks came crumbling down. From there, I approached my own stack of bricks and took that same swing…My bricks did not crumble.

"It's stronger…"

The Shah was angered, for he snatched the whip out of one of the guards' hand and began lashing him with it.

"You idiots! Three months! Three months we've been extending this palace, and for what!? So that it comes crumbling down next summer! I want the bastard who came up with these blue prints put to death! No more!"

The Shah placed the blueprints into my hands and patted me on the back.

"From now on, you're in charge of building. Whatever you say, goes."

From there, the Shah clapped both of his hands together, causing another guard to come forward.

"Razul, you will show our new master mason to his new quarters. He will live in the palace so that his brilliant mind can stay close to his work."

I was about to intervene, when Nadir shook his head.

"Khan, as for you, you are going to be the new head of my security. A promotion for bringing this brilliant mind to my palace."

Nadir seemed satisfied, for as soon as we were left alone, the man pulled me by my arm.

"Tonight, Erik, we shall celebrate! No, will not be tolerated as an answer…"

* * *

**Early update for all your awesome reviews! As for Christine, you shall have to stay tuned and find out... She will make an appearance sometime... Not saying when. Please review everyone! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Erik's POV**

"…You lied to him, Khan! You lied to the Shah!"

Nadir was leading me towards the busy city on foot after our shifts were over. I did not return to the work site that day, for the guards were busy showing me my new flat. It was small, but it was indeed better than the room Nadir had so graciously given me. There was a living room, a small kitchen and a bedroom… It was perfect, but I often wondered about how dangerous it would be to sleep beside the lion's den? The man had lied! He lied to the Shah, and yet, in return, we had both been rewarded.

"Calm down, Erik. The Shah is never going to find out. I needed to say something, otherwise, the man would have killed you for not having any previous masonry knowledge. He wouldn't have trusted you… Besides, I don't know why you insisted on switching the layering of the bricks. You should have just continued with the plans as they were. You brought this upon yourself, Erik."

"I just wanted to do good work was all, Khan, I never asked for any of this. Now the Shah believes I am some master mason from Egypt. I'm not a master mason, I'm just a man who is good with his hands."

"Ah, but you must become the master mason he believes you are. If you can build a wall that is indestructible, you can build a palace. It shouldn't be very hard for you to do. Just keep doing what you're doing and I guarantee that you will keep getting rewarded. Though, I must warn you, Erik…That is one thing that you ought not do… You must never deny anything the Shah wishes to give you. To him, it would be a slap in the face, and the Shah is known for cruel punishments. You are on his good side now, and so, you must keep it that way."

I wasn't sure where the Persian was taking me, but once we were inside a strange building, we instantly became surrounded by the sights and sounds of women. There were fifty of them! They were hanging on the stairs and parading around other men. I couldn't see their faces, for they were covered in colorful headpieces, their bodies draped in matching robes and strange lingerie… Over the years, I have read about such places, but never had I ever dared to step into one. This was indeed a brothel…

"To celebrate," Nadir began. "I thought that a little pleasure would be better than drinking or smoking."

"You're married," I began. "How can you stand to be in such a place?"

"I was married, Erik. My wife has been dead five years. Just because I seek the pleasure of a woman every once in a while doesn't mean that I don't still love my wife. Come, I have just the cure for that strong soul of yours."

My heart was pounding inside my chest, for here I was, a man and yet, I was foreign to the sight of a woman's naked body. All that I could think about was the pain my master had once caused me, and how he had called it love. But why would hundreds of men flee to this place, only to feel the same pain I had once felt?

"Esmeralda…" I was pulled from my thoughts, when I heard Nadir introducing me to one of the women. She was a little smaller than I was with jet black hair and beautiful brown eyes.

"Esmeralda, this is my friend, Erik… He has had a stressful day and he needs a little tension lifted from his frail shoulders. Be easy with him…"

Before I could protest, Nadir pulled some money out of his pocket and handed it to Esmeralda.

"Your pay from yesterday, friend. Enjoy…"

With that, Nadir walked away with another woman. I was left alone with this woman, and she was now pulling me upstairs to another room. My heart was beating louder now, for not only was I afraid of feeling that same pain I had once felt, but this would also be my first time with a woman. When we were alone in the room, the woman backed me towards the bed and sat in my lap. Just the sudden contact of her hips grinding against my lap awoke something within me that I had never felt before.

"Erik," she cooed in her strong Persian accent. "That is French… I never took a French man to bed with me before."

I braced myself on my hands as she ran hers down my clothed chest and to the buttons of my trousers.

"W…Will this hurt?" I nervously mewed.

"Only if you want it to hurt…Whatever you wish."

Once the buttons of my trousers were undone, she pushed me back against the mattress in an attempt to pull them off. Though, she stopped for a second and leaned in…Oh, what was this? Was I really going to experience my first kiss? I closed my eyes and waited to feel her lips against my own, but instead of her lips, I felt air against my face. Oh no! My eyes quickly opened and there, standing before me was Esmeralda, but she wasn't standing there…No, she was screaming her lungs out and backing up towards the door. Frightened, I grabbed my mask from her hands and ran out into the hall, my trousers still around my ankles. Esmeralda's screams had caused all the other girls to come out of their rooms, for as soon as they saw me, they screamed as well. I tripped and fell down the stairs, landing at the bottom as I attempted to pull up my trousers. Oh, how embarrassing! I ran out of the brothel and all the way back to my flat. Never had I ever felt so embarrassed.

All through the night, I had stayed awake, attempting to get the horrible thought of what had happened out of my head. When it was time to go to work, I dressed and headed out, finding Nadir standing on the other side of my door.

"Erik, what happened last night?"

"What happened?" I growled. "Nothing happened…What happened was that you forced something on me, something that I didn't want!"

"What man wouldn't want the pleasure of a woman?"

I was so angry, that I turned around and grabbed the man by his shirt.

"What if I never had the pleasure of a woman before?! I'm not like you!"

"Never? Never…Erik, I didn't know. I just wanted to celebrate. I'm sorry…"

"You're sorry? You're sorry? The entire whorehouse saw my face and my manhood! You don't know how I feel! I'll never be able to feel comfortable walking around the city again. Leave me alone…"

I raced away from the man, returning to my work site to look over my blueprints. I knew that the men working for me now were afraid, for they didn't say a word unless they had a question about the new work order.

"Sir?"

When I heard one of the guards, I spun around to see one standing before me.

"What is it?"

"The Shah wishes to speak with you."

"Did he say what for?"

"No, sir…He told me to fetch you."

The man was about to grab my hand, when I snatched it away.

"I'm not a dog, sir…I can walk myself to the main room."

With the guard at my side, I walked to the main room, where the Shah was once again seated on his throne. He smiled and motioned me to come forward.

"How is your new flat, Erik of Egypt? I do hope it is comfortable for you?"

"Yes, your highness, it is."

"The reason why I have summoned you here is because I wanted to ask you about something."

"What is it that you wish to ask me, your highness?"

"Last evening…Is it true that you paid for the company of a whore, only to be turned away?"

I froze, for I didn't know what to say. How was it that he knew about what happened?

"How did you find out about that?"

Before the Shah had the chance to answer, I felt the end of a whip crack down upon the back of my neck.

"You will not answer the Shah with another question! You are only to answer to him!"

I rubbed the back of my neck and faced the Shah once more.

"It…It was true, your highness."

At that moment, I spotted Nadir standing in the lineup of guards.

"I am the Shah, Erik of Egypt… There is nothing that I don't find out about. You caused a great stir in the whorehouse last night. But it is not the embarrassment that has you standing before me now, it is the theft."

"Theft, your highness?"

"Yes, theft! You paid for the services of a whore and received nothing in return. And all because she removed your mask."

The Shah leaned forward in his throne.

"I never asked you about it before…Why do you wear the mask?"

I was about to answer him, when Nadir came forward and stood before me.

"In Egypt, there was an accident. A ton of bricks fell from one of the buildings and scathed his face. He wears the mask to protect his flesh…"

A lie! Oh, it was another lie…Why couldn't we just tell the truth?

"I believe I asked Erik of Egypt, Daroga…"

I pressed my eyes closed, knowing that I needed to keep up with this lie.

"It's true…I was hurt in an accident and I wear the mask to protect me from further embarrassment."

"Then protect you shall… So, about the theft…"

The Shah snapped his fingers, and at that exact moment, all the women from the whorehouse were brought forward kicking and screaming. Oh, I knew this was going to end badly…

"So, Erik of Egypt, which one of these whores stole from you? Take a good look at all of them and tell me which one, so that she can be punished."

I immediately knew which one was Esmeralda, but could I possibly pick her out, only to get revenge? My mother always told me that no one would ever want me, so why should I punish an innocent girl?

"I…I'm not sure, your highness," I said, lowering my head. "I don't know which one."

Before I could say another word, a whip was cracked against my back, causing me to fall to my knees.

"Her name was Esmeralda!" the Shah snapped. "Lie to me again and I won't think twice about punishing you. You may be my master mason, but you will be treated like everyone else."

Once more, the Shah snapped his fingers. "Bring the one known as "Esmeralda" forward."

The girl kicked and screamed as she was brought before the court. Two guards had a hold of her as they threw her down in front of the throne.

"Strip off her clothing…"

"Your highness?"

"She stole from you, Erik of Egypt. I am going to see that you get your money's worth right now. Go on…Take her and let her be known for the whore that she is. The guards will hold her down."

Oh, I couldn't do this! I didn't want to take this poor girl, but I knew if I didn't, I would be punished for it.

"Well?" the Shah snapped. "Get on with it, I don't have all day!"

I looked at the girl who was lying naked on the floor before looking at Nadir. He now knew that I had never taken a woman before, and frankly, I didn't know how. This was only going to cause me further embarrassment.

"I would rather die, than be taken by the devil!" the girl spat.

Yes, her words hurt, but it wasn't enough to want to hurt her. She didn't want me and I didn't want her, no matter how badly my virgin body burned for this thing everyone called "pleasure."

"Your highness!" Nadir stepped in just as I had my fingers around the buttons of my trousers. "You see, Erik of Egypt once fell in love. He didn't want to go to that whorehouse last night, but I coaxed him into it. He told me that he would rather find a wife than be with a whore… He has already begun correcting your palace, sir…"

"If the mason wants this whore to be his wife, so be it…"

"No! I will never be with him, ever!"

I pressed my eyes closed, anger filling my body with fire. Oh, Nadir was digging me a deep hole!

"No, your highness… I believe that you should let him pick a wife from the women in your court."

The Shah thought a few moments before motioning his guards away from the woman.

"All right, Erik of Egypt, tonight, I will summon all of my available maids to this very room and you will pick a wife. As for the whore, I will sentence her to death for stealing."

Death! Death! But I had bigger problems than the death of a whore…I was being forced to marry. Even if they were forced to marry me, I knew deep down that no woman would ever look upon me and love.

* * *

**Dun Dun Dun... Well, Erik is in a hole now... How shall he ever get himself out of this one. Find out how in my next installment! Reviewers get the chance to be Erik's wife! So, about my newest book... We shall try posting the website here. I know it doesn't show up... Also, I'm putting spaces in so FF doesn't detect it. So, make sure not to use spaces..Also after wix, make sure you put in . C O M before /Lannprice, Otherwise, it won't work. Good Luck! if you're interested, go to your browser and type in Hollywoodfilmdirecto . wix. /lannprice**


	21. Chapter 21

**Erik's POV**

"I don't want a wife, Khan! Once again**, **you've lied to the Shah, and for what?!"

"Thank you for being so grateful, Erik! This is the second time I've stretched my neck out for you! It will be the second and the last time, I can assure you that!"

"A wife? I couldn't even get a whore to go to bed with me, Nadir, and now, you've talked the Shah into letting me choose a wife!"

"I chose between your embarrassment and your dignity, and I chose your dignity! Would you have rather had the court see your inexperience with a whore, or would you rather have a lifelong companion to do with as you please? It was bound to happen anyway, Erik! Once the Shah believes that you're old enough to marry, he matches everyone of his men up with a wife…"

"Is that what happened to you?" I snapped. "Did he match you up with your wife? Was she a worthless chambermaid?"

"My wife was not worthless!"

"How can your people marry without even knowing a thing about their mate? What if you hate each other?"

"Jasmine and I started off as friends on our wedding night and woke as lovers, Erik. It may come off as a strange custom for you, but if you wish to continue living here, you must follow our way of life."

"What if I don't find one that I like?"

"Like? Like? Erik, you will go into that hall tonight and you must choose one of the maids. If you do not pick one, the Shah will become insulted and I don't wish to see how he would punish you for it."

"You lied," I began. "You lied to him about my face…Why?"

"Erik, the Shah loves to collect things. He collects animals from all around the world, fine wines and foods…If he ever finds out that you were born with a facial deformity, he will want to add you to his collection. That is one place you do not want to find yourself. Now, I will not step in for you again, so you must start treating him with respect, or a whip lashing won't be the only thing you will have to fear."

I pulled a clean shirt from out of my wardrobe and slipped behind the door to change.

"And I must warn you, Erik…When you pick a maid tonight, you must not be seen treating her like a man would usually treat a woman."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Here in Persia, women are not looked upon as being equal to men. They are to call their husbands "master" and the man is to treat them as a slave."

"And just how am I supposed to get a woman to love me, Khan?! I don't have the looks, and now, I am to treat them like a slave? I refuse!"

"And your refusal will be the death of you, Erik… If you want the Shah to respect you, you must respect him. This will be my final warning to you about his evil ways of entertainment."

I stepped out from behind the wardrobe and presented myself to the Persian.

"H…How do I look?"

"Like a million Euros. I'll escort you to the royal court… The Shah will be expecting you. Don't disappoint him tonight, Erik, otherwise it will be your head."

I was nervous, oh, so nervous. I was to be married! How was I ever going to be able to look my wife in the eyes and smile? I knew that she would fear me, for a whore couldn't even look at me without screaming. And then, I was to treat her like a slave? My hands sweated as I entered the royal court and stood before the throne. The Shah smiled and twisted a few of his diamond rings that were on his slender fingers.

"You clean up real nice, Erik of Egypt. I'm sure any woman would be lucky to be in your bed tonight. As you have told me before, you say that you are good with your hands…Well, I'm sure that you will prove yourself worthy of that title tonight."

The Shah snapped his fingers, and in that instant, ten maids came walking out in a single line. Oh, I couldn't even look at them, for one of these women would soon become my wife. I looked down at my feet with a nervous twitch as they lined up beside the throne. I took a deep breath and looked up once more, ready to seal my fate forever more.

"Why so nervous? Come, I shall tell you about each of my maids."

The Shah rose from his throne and dragged me to the first maid. She was Persian with jet black hair and a thin build. She was still so young and so innocent… How could I ever taint such a beautiful creature?

"Sanni…" The Shah began. "She is a wonderful cook and a good listener."

The girl named Sanni, looked up at me with frightened eyes. Oh, I knew it was the mask! I knew she was nervous about what lay beneath it. I couldn't blame her, for I too would be nervous if I were her.

"Not to your liking?" the Shah questioned.

"She is beautiful, but I would like to see every one before I make a decision."

"Ah, good man… Always wanting to test everything out before he purchases it. That is a smart man."

We left Sanni and approached the maid standing next to her. Oh, all these maids looked the same with their jet black hair and thin builds. How was I ever to choose?

"Mayba… She is good with her hands, much like you are. I believe that the two of you would do wonders for one another. Usually, all my chamber maids are virgins, but this one comes with experience. She has been known to give a man so much pleasure that they only last a few seconds."

I wasn't sure what the Shah was talking about, but I just simply nodded as we headed down to the next maid that was up for my hand in marriage.

"Sheyta… She is known for cooking the best meals in my palace. Are you a man of food?"

"I…I don't really eat much to tell you the truth," I began. "There aren't too many things that I can eat without becoming ill."

"Well then, Sheyta will be of no use to you. You're a hard man to please…Tell me, do you like pain or pleasure when you are in bed with a woman? Perhaps you like a little of both, much like myself. There is nothing better than thrusting yourself into a woman while she is digging her nails into your back. Perhaps you like to be the one putting the hurting on the woman?"

Oh, I was speechless! But what would happen if I told the Shah that I was a virgin? What would he do for me then? Would he punish me for it? Or would he sympathize with me and offer me the greatest woman in the world? I wasn't sure, and I didn't want to risk telling him the truth, therefore, I just lied to him once again.

"All pleasure," I replied. "I've felt enough pain in my days."

"Really? How so? What was the worst pain you ever felt a woman bestow upon you?"

"I…I once had a woman tie me down and stab me multiple times."

"And was that considered pleasure?"

"No…She….she wanted me dead."

"Well then, enough with this pain game. My next maid up for grabs has been trained to obey in bed. Anything you want, she will be willing to give. What is it that you want most in bed?"

Oh, now he really had me. I ran my fingers nervously through my hair as I tried to think of a way out of this.

"Alita has been trained in every position there is to know. I'd test her out myself, but I can see that you're a man of purity. Does she make your blood boil with want?"

The Shah pushed me in front of her.

"Tell me she doesn't make you want her…"

"To be honest, your highness, I do enjoy making love to women, but it is the activities done outside the bedroom that give me pleasure."

"What sort of activities?"

"Well…" I rubbed the back of my neck and wondered if this were something I should be getting into with the Shah. The less he knew about my personal life, the better, but if I was being forced to marry one of these maids, I wanted to marry one that was sort of like me in a way. I wanted us to be able to share the same interests in art.

"In my free time, I enjoy writing music. I've always wanted a partner who would be understanding and astonished by my love for music. Do you know of any maids that can sing?"

The Shah began to laugh…It was a cruel laugh, one that left my heart aching.

"Music? Yes, music is enjoyed by many, Erik of Egypt, but I'm sorry to tell you that it does not go over the love of bedding a woman. These maids that I have presented to you are the finest and purest in the palace. You will pick one of these women by sight, not by the sound of their voices. Now, on to my next maid. She is a very spontaneous one indeed. She once preformed here with her father before I killed him and made her one of my maids. She dances…It may not be music, but you will not be disappointed when she is dancing in your lap."

I was not interested in any of these maids, and all I wanted was to be back in my flat. Why? Why did I agree to go with Nadir to that whorehouse? If I wouldn't have went, I wouldn't be in the situation that I was in now. The Shah wanted me to pick a wife simply by the way that they looked. Sex and looks were all that the Shah cared about, when in reality, I wanted someone who loved music and would come to love me. But that was a dream, for as my mother once said, no one would ever look upon me and love.

"We're almost down to the last few maids, Erik of Egypt. It is almost time for you to pick who you wish to take as your wife."

"You've shown me nothing but Persian women."

"And? Is there a problem with that? Our women are some of the best in the world. There isn't a man who comes here from another country and leaves disappointed."

"I don't have anything against them, it's just that I like light skinned women."

"Ah, then you're in luck…"

The Shah pulled me all the way down to the end of the line where the last maid stood.

"A delicacy from France… Oh, she is a beauty too…"

The woman had been wearing a full head scarf, but the moment the Shah pulled it off, a head of brown curls bounced to her shoulders. My heart stopped within my chest the moment the girl looked up at me with those beautiful and familiar green eyes. Christine! This was my Christine! But how…and why? I had not seen her in years, but the moment we both stared at one another our worlds collided and came to a standstill. There was no doubt in my mind who I would choose as a wife, the only question that remained was could I? Could I drag her into this mess and put her life at stake? But most of all, how could I ever treat her like a slave? It couldn't be done, for I cared for her too much. No, I couldn't choose her…I needed to choose another. But if I did, what would happen to her?

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**DUN DUN DUN! Christine has returned! Stay tuned to find out what happens!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Erik's POV**

"So, Erik, who do you choose?"

Christine was looking into my eyes as if pleading with me, but I couldn't…

"What…What will happen to this girl if I don't choose her?"

"What? The French girl? I'll probably marry her off to another one of my guards. My guards would pay a pretty penny to marry her. To them, she is a delicacy…"

Christine deserved the world, therefore, I took her by the hand.

"I choose her…"

"Congratulations, Erik from Egypt…In the eyes of Persians, she will be yours and only yours until you meet your maker..."

I had so many things to say to Christine, but I couldn't speak, not while we were in the presence of the Shah. I led Christine all the way to my room, and once we were there, she jumped into my arms and hugged me tightly.

"Oh, Christine…"

"Erik! Erik, I've been searching for you forever! Oh, you're here, and you're alive!"

The girl had tears in her eyes, but she didn't know what she was getting herself into. She didn't know that she was going to be going through hell.

"Christine," I was about to tell her something important, when Toby came barking from the other room and jumped into her arms.

"TOBY!" Christine smiled and hugged the dog. "Oh, Toby, you're alive! Oh, Erik, you kept him so healthy…"

"Christine, we need to talk."

"About what? You're here and that's all that matters."

"I….I don't want to hurt you, Christine. I am being forced to marry you, and while you are in this marriage, you have to act a certain way."

"I don't care," she cried, jumping into my arms once again. "You're here and that's all that matters. You don't know how long I've been searching for you. I was in France when I was kidnapped. I didn't know where we were going on where I was going to end up, but a few months ago, I was brought here. I was so scared, oh, so scared, Erik. I prayed to my papa every night to bring us together again. And now we're here…I will do whatever you tell me to do, Erik."

I finally wrapped my arms around Christine's body and sighed. This hug has been long awaited…

"I don't want to force anything on you, Christine. I don't want to be married…I don't want to hurt anyone."

"And you don't have to. I am so glad to be back with you, Erik…You don't know how much this means to me."

When Christine finally broke away, I motioned to my flat.

"I am a master mason for the Shah, Christine. This is my home, and I want you to feel comfortable here."

"I love it…Oh, Erik, you've grown so tall."

I took a seat on my bed and ran my fingers through my hair. Yes, I had indeed grown tall, but nothing compared to the beauty that bloomed within Christine. She was perfect, oh, so perfect.

"The Shah might be keeping an eye on my flat, therefore, we must act like husband and wife. I hate to do this, Christine, but when you speak to me, you must refer to me as your master. I hate the thought terribly, but I don't want to put us in danger."

"Yes…master."

"I would never see you as my slave, Christine, it is an act and nothing more. Are you hungry?"

"No, I ate already…"

"Very well…I…I think that it's time we went to bed. I have a long day tomorrow and it's already late."

"We were told that the guards would move our things here if you chose one of us. I…I don't have my night gown with me."

"I'm guessing that the Shah believed that we wouldn't need clothes tonight."

Christine didn't say a word as I went into my wardrobe and handed her a shirt.

"You can wear one of my shirts…You can sleep in my bed, Christine. I…I don't sleep much, so I'm going to spend the rest of the night in my living room."

I couldn't even look at her, for it brought back horrible memories, memories that hurt my heart. I didn't want to be married to Christine, for she was frightened by my appearance. A few moments later, I heard footsteps, only to turn around and find Christine approaching me. She protectively wrapped her arms around my body and sighed into my back.

"Erik, we've just been reunited after years of being apart. Don't leave me alone…Don't do this to me. I know that you love your privacy, but I just want to talk. Talk to me, Erik… Come back to our bedroom and talk to me."

"I…I can't."

"You used to do it all the time when we were children."

"But that's the thing, Christine. We are not children anymore. You are a woman and I am a man! I can't talk to you anymore like I am a little boy."

"Just talk, Erik… I will listen, no matter how hard it is to talk, I will listen."

When Christine and I were back in my room, I laid down beside her and gazed into her beautiful eyes.

"Erik, I know that we haven't seen one another in years, but there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't miss you. When you left, I searched…Oh, how I searched. I should hate you for leaving me alone, but I could never hate you."

"I left to give you a better life, Christine. I was holding you back from reaching your life long goal. You deserved better and leaving was the only way to give it to you."

"Erik, when you left, my world stopped spinning. You were like my brother and when you left, it hurt. I don't want you to leave me again…Promise me."

Christine snuggled her head into my chest and closed her eyes.

"I'm hideous, Christine…" I cooed.

But Christine didn't hear me, for she was already asleep. Oh, what was I going to do with her?

"Open up!"

I was woken by a horrible sound, one that immediately had me sitting up in bed. I gasped when I realized that marrying Christine hadn't been a dream after all… She was here! She was here and lying beside me.

"The Shah wishes that we collect the bed sheets!"

When I heard one of the angry guards say such a thing, I began to wonder why…Why would the Shah want my bed sheets? And then it hit me… Oh, Christine and I hadn't consummated the marriage! I was not a skilled man when it came to making love to a woman. Hell, I didn't know where to start. Though, I had heard that when a virgin makes love for the first time, the woman bleeds.

"Christine…" I shook her shoulder, causing the girl to sit up.

"Erik, what is it?"

"Get up…We have to get up now."

I pulled Christine out of bed and gazed down at the pure white sheets. Oh, there were no stains! But why would there be? We hadn't done anything to cause a stain.

"Open up or we will break down the door!"

Not thinking, I grabbed my knife from the night table and cut my hand. Christine gasped and attempted to stop me, but I pushed her away. Blood trickled down my hand and landed on the center of the bed. Multitasking, I wrapped up my hand and hurried to the door.

"What?" I pulled it open and there, behind the door stood three of the Shah's guards.

"The Shah has ordered us to collect the bed sheets."

"For what?"

As soon as I said those words, the guard pulled out his whip and lashed it across my back. I fell to my knees as the guard passed me with the two other ones.

"Hey, you're not welcome to come in here! This is my home!"

The guard approached me with the sheets in hand.

"And you're in the palace, boy…Don't forget who has given you this cozy flat!"

The guard was about to leave, when all of a sudden, the other guard cried out.

"Found this in his room…"

It was the knife…The bloody knife that I had cut myself with. The guard who had the sheets pulled up my bandaged hand before gazing at the sheets.

"You and your whore are coming with us!"

Christine cried out as the two guards grabbed her, and I did the same. We were thrown in front of the Shah's throne along with the sheets.

"And what is this, Kali?" the Shah growled. "I asked for sheets, not my master mason and his bride."

"You've been fooled, your highness… Your mason cut his hand and bled on the sheets to make it seem as though they have consummated the marriage."

The shah's eyes were burning into my skull now.

"Is this true, Erik?"

I knew lying to the Shah would do me no good, therefore, I told the truth in hopes that he would be merciful.

"Yes, your highness, it is."

"And why would you try to trick me like that?"

"I…I was not ready to take a strange woman to bed with me…"

"Did she deny you? If so, let it be known and I will have her punished for it. She is not a stranger…She is your wife and it is her duty to give you all the pleasure you desire."

Christine shuddered at the Shah's very words, but I immediately stood up for her.

"No…No, your highness. She was ready to give her body to me…it was I who denied her. I just wanted to get to know her better before I take her to bed is all."

"Get to know her?" He chuckled. "She is your slave! What does it matter…And then, you try to trick me of the proof. That, Erik of Egypt, is frowned upon in this country. It is time that you learned your place in this kingdom…I have forgiven you before for your outlandish behavior, but a dog can never be trained without a swift kick to the ribs every now and then…That is how they learn who the boss is, and now, you will learn as well."

Christine was about to speak, but I motioned her to stay quiet. I didn't want her to get involved in this…It was bad enough that she had been forced to marry me.

"Khan!" The shah yelled his name, and the Persian man stepped forward.

"Yes, your highness?"

"What is the punishment in this kingdom for lying to the Shah?"

Nadir looked at me with all the pity in the world and stayed strong.

"I'm waiting, Khan! You wouldn't want to make the Shah wait."

"The punishment for lying to the Shah, your highness, is twelve straight hours of lashings…No water, just your arms and legs tied and a whip being lashed against your back."

The Shah waved his hand. "Get on with it then…"

Twelve hours of lashings? I wanted to stay strong, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to withstand it.

"I know that it is not my duty to intervene, your highness," Nadir began. "But this is your master mason… He is the one seeing to everything having to do with the expansion of the palace."

"Your point, Khan?"

"Most men do not make it through the twelve hours of lashings, your highness… If your master mason were to die, who would take his place? Your mother is coming to visit in less than a month and I know how much you want the building to be done before she arrives."

The Shah thought a few moments before nodding. I knew that Nadir was only doing this to buy me time…I knew he didn't want to see me whipped for twelve hours…

"All right… Make it four good ones in the hot sun," The shah replied. "But I want you to do the whipping. Make those four hours feel like twelve…"

I knew Nadir didn't want to whip me, but he had no choice… And so, he took his whip and led me out the door.

* * *

**I know, I know...Another cliffy! But hey, at least you know that Erik and Christine are married now. Please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Erik's POV**

My arms and legs were tied in a spread eagle form across this horrible X shaped banister that had been built for whippings. When my shirt was torn from off of my back, the guards along with Nadir gasped.

"Looks like we're not the only ones who had their fun in whipping this demon." One of the guards teased.

"The Shah didn't say anything about criticizing this man," Nadir spat. "Another word out of any of you and I won't think twice about telling the Shah."

"Well then," the guard sneered. "Best get on with it, captain!"

Nadir held the whip in his hand and looked at me before handing it to the guard.

"I have better things to do than whip one of the Shah's prisoners… You do it… Do it and be quick about it."

With that, Nadir stormed off. I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me now, but a few moments later, I turned my head to see the guard dowsing the whip in some sort of substance.

"You're going to listen to the Shah from now on, boy…This should teach you a lesson."

When the whip cracked against my back, I felt a terrible burning sensation. It hurt worse than before, and I didn't know why. Over and over again, the whip licked my back and left a sizzling sensation. I wanted to scream and cry, but I needed to stay strong…I was having trouble breathing now, so much that I was on the brink of passing out.

"We should cut him down now…" one of the guards replied.

"No, the captain told me to whip him…He didn't say anything about cutting him down."

And just like that, they walked away and left me hanging there in the hot sun. For hours, blood dripped down my flesh and onto the ground, bugs ate at my wounds as I continued to hang there in dire agony.

"Erik?"

When I heard the Persian's voice, I couldn't even lift my head. Immediately, I heard running footsteps and then felt myself being cut down. I plopped to the ground with a loud thud and became lifeless. My legs and arms were numb now, so much that I couldn't even lift my head up.

"There's something wrong with him!"

Next thing I heard was Nadir's voice and he was carrying my broken body into a strange room. I could hear my heart pounding against my ears as I was laid down on a table, stomach first…

"The shah ordered to have this man whipped, but the lacerations…they are sizzling and turning a strange color."

I closed my eyes and heard another man entering the room. When he touched my back, I screamed in agony, for the lacerations were burning me.

"Are you sure he wasn't bitten by a snake? He's giving off the symptoms that a snake bite would cause…"

When I heard the man say those exact words, everything came rushing back to me. The guard had dowsed his whip in some sort of substance…It must have been some kind of animal venom.

"T…The guard," I wheezed. "The…The guard."

Nadir heard my weak voice and came rushing to my side. He knelt down so that he could see my face.

"Erik, tell me what happened? Tell me what happened to you…"

"T…The guard. He…he dowsed the whip in something."

Nadir looked up at the other man. "Is there anything that can be done for him to stop the pain?"

"If this is some sort of venom, we need to get it out of his system quickly, otherwise, it will reach his heart and he will die a painful death."

My sight was becoming blurry now, so much that I was having a hard time staying awake. I spotted Nadir rushing to a nearby cabinet and pulled open the doors. He rummaged through the shelves until he found a bottle of something and came running back to hold the end of it up to my lips.

"Drink this, Erik…It's going to knock you out for a while. You don't want to feel the doctor prying your flesh open."

It was hard to swallow the disgusting substance, but I forced it down. When I began to gag, the man forced the nozzle up to my lips.

"All of it, Erik…Keep drinking."

And when the last drop was gone, so was I…

**Nadir's POV**

While the doctor worked on Erik, I hurried to the court to speak with the Shah myself. I wasn't sure why I handed the whip to another one of the guards…I guess I didn't want to feel as though I had betrayed Erik by hurting him. He had gone through enough hurt, this I knew. There wasn't much that I knew about the man, but by the way he acted all the time, I knew he had been through enough. Not only had I betrayed him by handing the whip to someone else, but I had also betrayed him by not whipping him.

"Your highness…" I stormed through the doors and hurried to the throne.

"Ah, there is my captain of the guards. Has it really been four hours already?"

"I've come to report a crime, your highness."

"A crime? I thought I appointed you as the captain of the guards. It is your duty to take care of the crime, not to report it to me."

"It's the circumstance, your highness. You see, something went wrong at the whipping grounds today. Someone has betrayed your trust."

"Betrayed my trust? How so, Khan?"

"I was called away for some other reason. I found that fighting crime in the city was far more important than whipping one of your workers," I lied. "I handed the whip to another one of your guards and told him to be quick about it. Seven hours later, I returned to find your master mason still tied to the whipping boards and his body was tainted in something other than blood."

The shah's eyes went wide. "What! Where is my master mason?!"

"In the infirmary, your highness. The whip that had given him his lashings, was tainted in some sort of venom. Erik couldn't say much, but what came from his lips made it clear that the guard I had ordered to whip him had done the damage."

"No! No! No! No! No!" The shah stood to his feet and kicked over a nearby vase. He stormed down the stairs and approached me, his hand grabbing onto my shirt. "Where is my master mason?!"

"The doctors say that he might die, your highness. Even if your master mason survives, he is going to need a week's rest to recover from the dehydration and pain caused by the venom."

"Four hours, Khan! Four! Was that so hard to ask for! Four hours to teach him a lesson and nothing more! I didn't want him to be put in harm's way."

The shah removed my sword from my belt and held it against my neck.

"I should kill you! I ordered you to whip him, not another guard! I trusted you to do this for me, and you betrayed me, Khan! Now, because of you, my master mason is on death's door! I should kill you, really I should…But I won't…"

The shah pushed me away and shoved the sword back into my belt.

"Who was the guard that you ordered to whip my mason?"

"Kali…" I choked. "Kali was the one I handed the whip to."

The shah gazed at his guards that were standing at the door and clapped his hands.

"Bring Kali to the court this instant! Pull that bastard from his bed and bring him and his family here!"

Kali was not a smart man. He loved to torment peasants and go beyond whatever the shah ordered him to do. I didn't want him to be harmed, for he had two young sons and a wife. And now, because of my loyalty to the shah and Erik, him and his family were going to be slaughtered before the court.

"What is the meaning of this!"

Kali fought against the guards as he and his two young sons were brought before the shah along with his wife.

"Is it true that captain Khan appointed you as the one to whip my mason?"

"Yes, your highness…"

"Well, would you like to explain how my mason ended up in the infirmary and is now on his death bed?!"

"I…I…"

I stood beside the Shah, knowing that he was losing his patience with this man. A few seconds went by and the Shah grabbed the whip from my belt and lashed it across the guard's back.

"Answer me, you filthy piece of dirt!"

"I was only trying to have some fun, your highness! Please, spare me and my family… Have some mercy!"

"You poisoned my mason! Not only did you poison him, but you left him tied to the whipping boards for hours in the hot sun! My orders were clear! He was to be whipped in order to be taught a lesson! Nothing more! Did I order captain Khan to poison him?! No! And yet, you defied my orders and now because of your stupidity, my mason is on his death bed!"

"Your highness, please…"

But the Shah showed no mercy, for he ordered the guards to behead his children and wife right before Kali's own very eyes. They cried and they screamed as they were slaughtered one by one. That was something I never wanted to see…Children were innocent, just like my Reza. And when his wife and children were dead, the man was slaughtered himself…

**Erik's POV**

I woke in a strange bed, my head feeling woozy and my body was on fire. When I attempted to move, I found that I couldn't do so. At least my mask was still intact. A few seconds later, the door to my room opened and the Shah entered, followed by a few of his guards.

"Ah, my master mason has woken. How are you feeling today?"

"I…I could be better, your highness."

"Good, for I came to apologize to you for the way you were treated out there on the whipping grounds. It was a horrible thing that Kali did to you. I had nothing to do with poisoning my master mason, I assure you. I have instructed the doctors to give you the best medicine Persia has to offer in order to get you back on your feet in no time."

I pressed my woozy head back against my pillow and closed my eyes.

"Right, you must be exhausted… You should rest, my Erik of Egypt. I have also instructed the doctors to take you home tomorrow. Your slave should be able to dress your wounds and feed you. I'm sure she is worried about your whereabouts. I have sent one of our guards to inform her of your attempted demise. I not only came here to apologize to you for what happened, but I've also brought you a gift. I do hope that this gift is enough to show you how deeply sorry I am for what happened."

I felt something slightly heavy being placed in my lap, only to open my eyes and see a potato sack of some sort lying there.

"Good day, Erik of Egypt. Feel better soon…I expect you to be back to work within the next few days. I expect the extension of the palace to be done before my mother arrives in the coming weeks."

When the Shah and his guards left, I untied the sack and began unwrapping it from whatever was inside of it… But when I finally saw what had been inside, I gasped and let it drop to the floor, for there, inside the sack was my gift, that gift being the bloody head of Kali! From now on, I knew I needed to keep my head down, for if the Shah would decapitate one of his guards, what would he do to me next time? Or worse…what would he do to my Christine?

* * *

**Poor Poor Erik, please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Erik's POV**

The next day, the guards carried me to my flat. I could see the worriment in Christine's face the moment I was brought inside, but she kept still. Once I was in bed, they left me alone with my wife and that's when she came running to me.

"Erik…I've been so worried about you."

I pressed my face into my pillow and sighed. My back was killing me, so much, that I didn't wish to speak with her. Though, before I could say another word, I heard a knock at the door. Christine approached it and pulled the heavy piece of wood open.

"Is Erik in? I really need to speak with him."

I knew that voice anywhere! It was Nadir… Oh, I did not wish to see him right now, but what was I going to do? I pressed my eyes closed and waited for him to come in.

"Master, someone is here to see you…"

I hated hearing those words escape her lips, but what could I do? We were in a different country.

"Leave us," I growled.

"I'll make you something to eat, Erik…I…I mean, master…"

When Christine was gone, Nadir took out his sword and held it against my neck.

"You don't understand what I went through last night, Erik! I watched a man and his family get decapitated in front of me! All because you won't abide by our customs. She is your slave, and yet, you have her speaking to you as if she is any better."

I wasn't strong, but I managed to grab the sword from his hand and point it towards him.

"Don't you say a word about her, Khan! She is much more than a slave… I don't know how she got here, but that girl out there was once my childhood friend. I picked her over anyone else so that I could protect her…Now, she may call me master when we are out, but in my home, she will do no such thing."

"Your friend? How?"

"It is a long story, one that I do not wish to go into detail about. But to put a long story short, we grew up together and she means a lot to me."

"Erik, you know that you must consummate the marriage. Once you are strong again, the Shah will come back to seek proof."

"Then let him come… I will not take her like a common whore. She's better than that, Khan. I want the best for her, and this marriage was something I shouldn't have pulled her into. I was only trying to protect her."

"Erik, you must start abiding by the laws around here. The Shah not only killed one of his best guards, but he gave you his head as a gift. Next time, it might be your head…or the girl's."

"I will think of something, Khan."

"For now, rest… In a few days, I want you to bring your wife to my home for supper. I would like to speak with you more about this friend of yours. Just try to keep your head down and away from the Shah's sight."

With that, Khan took the sword from my hands and walked himself towards the door. Christine passed him along the way and bowed before him.

"Good day, my lady…"

When Nadir was gone, Christine entered my room and placed a tray down on my night table. I was in agony, so much that I didn't even wish to eat.

"A…A guard came here last evening and informed me of what happened to you. I was worried."

"And you shouldn't be! You are to act as my slave… If the Shah finds out that you care so deeply about me after only a few days of marriage, he will start to suspect something. No more caring… You are to go about your day here with only a few words said to me until we've been married for at least a few months."

"But…But we're finally together again. How am I to act like a slave when I've known you for most of my life? You mean a lot to me, Erik. Please don't treat me like this."

"It's not by choice, Christine. It is so that I may protect you from the Shah and his horrible ways of entertainment."

Christine nodded and held a spoonful of some sort of liquid up to my lips.

"I…I made you some soup. I know that you're in a lot of pain, but I thought this would help you."

"I don't wish to eat, thank you… I only want to close my eyes and pretend that the last few days never happened."

"Why? Why would you wish for that? I have been searching for you for years and never would I ever regret seeing you again."

When I didn't respond, Christine held a piece of meat up to my lips.

"I can only give you medicine if you eat something, Erik…Just a few bites is all that I need from you. I may be a slave to you, but allow me to care for you until you are feeling better."

"I do not see you as a slave, Christine… It's just that I have to see you that way. Otherwise, the Shah will become angry with me again."

"I…I heard you talking to that man a few moments ago. He… He said that you have to consummate the marriage." Christine looked down, her cheeks turning a strange red color. "You do not wish to do so?"

"Never…I do not wish to take you to bed. I don't even know you anymore, Christine. And yet, how could you expect me to do such a thing? But I know what will happen if I do not."

"I don't want to see you hurt again. Erik, please look at me… Please tell me that you have missed me just as much as I've missed you?"

But I couldn't…

"We…We will talk about this when I am feeling better. Just…Just leave me be for a while, Christine."

Christine sighed and approached the door, turning to me one last time.

"Yes, master…"

The words left her tongue like poison…Oh, when would I ever be truly free in life?

"Oh…"

I groaned as I lay there in agony. The lacerations on my back were hurting me to the point where I couldn't even concentrate. I knew that my bandages needed to be changed, but I couldn't do it on my own.

"Christine?" I pushed myself into a sitting position and called for her, but she never came.

"Christine, are you out there?!"

When I didn't get a reply this time, I painfully pushed the blankets aside and struggled to my feet. I wasn't sure if she was ignoring me because of the small argument we had shared, but either way, she was being cruel. I needed her now more than ever. My legs were too weak to walk on their own, for I wasn't even supposed to be out of bed.

"Christine! Christine, answer me…"

When I tried to reach out for my night table, I wound up falling to the floor. I groaned and grasped my chest, for it was killing me.

"Master?"

When I heard her voice, I looked up to find her coming through the door. She gasped and came running to my side.

"Why were you out of bed?"

"I was looking for you, but you have obviously been ignoring me! How dare you…"

"Ignoring you?" she questioned. "I have not been ignoring you. I've been outside shaking out the rugs. I just came back inside and heard you calling for me. How could you even think such a thing?"

I was speechless now… She had been outside.

"Master…"

"Enough with that wretched word! I don't want you to call me that while we're home. I told you before that the only time you needed to address me by that is when we're out in public. Stop bulling me with that. I know what I said was cruel, but I'm just trying to protect you."

"Sorry, Erik…"

Once I was seated on the mattress, Christine filled up a basin of water and began to gently remove the old bandages. It hurt, and the girl stopped every few seconds to let me rest.

"I…I can't believe someone would do this to you." She shuddered. "Your back looks horrible."

"It looked horrible before the Shah ordered to have me whipped. I'm…I'm hideous now."

I could feel the warm air against my back now as Christine removed the last bandage. Her fingers brushed along a few old scars, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"Do…Do they hurt you?"

"My wounds? Yes…"

"No, the old scars, the ones that your master gave you?"

"Sometimes. I've become used to feeling the pain, Christine. I can barely stand to lay on my back anymore. Though, as of right now, I am being forced to."

"Here, let's get you some new bandages."

When Christine washed my back with soap and water, it sent a wave of agony throughout my body. I knew she was worried about causing me pain, but I begged her to go on. When she was finished, I couldn't even stand to lay back down due to the fire that was burning my wounds.

"Erik…Do…Do you still have my Papa's violin?"

"And why do you think I would ever get rid of it? It is one thing that I will always hold close to my heart, Christine."

From under my bed, I pulled out the case and held the fragile instrument in my arms. I played for her, much like I used to do in the old days. Toby seemed to have missed it as well, for he jumped up onto my bed and placed his head in my lap. When my song was finished, Christine reached inside of her robe and pulled out the necklace my mother had given her long ago.

"Erik, I never would have sided with your mother if I would have known she was going to hurt you…Forgive me…"

She had tears in her eyes, tears that were full of regret and pain.

"The past is the past, Christine. We were children then…Stupid and foolish children."

"She left me everything… She left me her house and everything in it. For years I lived there, but when I couldn't stand to be away from you anymore, I left to find you…"

"And now we're here…" I concluded. "Hell…"

"If you're here, Erik, then it couldn't possibly be hell…It must be heaven."

Christine gently wrapped her arms around me…A hug! Oh, this hug was wonderful.

"W…When I am feeling better," I began. "I would like you to properly meet my friend. He has invited us to his home for dinner, and I have accepted."

"I look forward to meeting this friend of yours, Erik. Though, I must ask you something."

"What? Anything…"

"Will you play me another song?"

"One more for you… One more and then, I am going to rest."

Once more, I played for her, and when I was finished, she tucked me in.

"I'm going to make dinner, Erik, would you like something special to eat?"

"Anything, Christine. I'm sorry about not eating your lunch, it was very selfish of me."

"Selfish, but not unforgivable…I'll make you something special."

When Christine was gone, I gazed down at Toby and sighed. I was married! I couldn't get over the fact that I was married and to this wonderful girl. I didn't deserve her and I wouldn't allow myself to have her regretting it. I would treat her like gold… She would be my delicate flower and I would care for her as if she were just that. When I was feeling better, I would attempt to let myself go and fall in love with her. And I would try to get her to feel the same way about me…I wasn't sure that it would work, but I would try…

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**Poor Erik, but things are starting to look up. Please please please review! Thanks again, everyone!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Erik's POV**

"Back to work," I demanded one afternoon, when I noticed the Shah's masons slacking off. "The Shah's palace isn't going to get finished by standing around…"

I had returned to work just a few days ago, and yet, I couldn't help but feel as though the workers thought of me as the Shah's jester and nothing more. I watched them until they stopped their foolish conversation and returned to work. Afterwards, I knelt down in the area I was working in and began to lay a few bricks. My back was still killing me, but I wasn't going to let the Shah see me in agony. I was a strong man, and I would never show him weakness.

"Ah, there is my master mason…"

When I heard his rich voice, I cringed, for I knew the Shah was approaching me from behind. I wasn't sure what he wanted, but I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what was to come.

"Back to work, I see… Have we learned our lesson?"

I stood up straight and dusted off my trousers before turning to face him.

"I was wrong to have ever doubted you, your highness."

"That's much better… I'm glad you are learning the ways of my people. It's good that you have learned your place, Erik of Egypt. And have you consummated your marriage with your slave yet?"

My heart was pounding from within my chest, for I had not. How could I ever taint her in such a way when she didn't want me? But if I lied and said that I had, there was no doubting that the Shah would check for evidence, evidence that obviously wouldn't be there. Punishment would surely follow…

"I…I have not been able to stop the pain in my back yet, your highness. When I am feeling like my old self again, the deed will be done."

"Well, that sneaky bastard paid his dues…He has paid for your pain and suffering."

There was an awkward silence, and then, the Shah intervened.

"Don't keep me waiting too long, Erik of Egypt. You are to make your marriage official… This will be my final warning, next time, you won't find yourself so lucky."

I was running out of time, time that I didn't want to end. I didn't want to touch Christine yet, but I knew that I would have to in order to protect us. That evening after my day of work was over, I took a deep breath before entering my flat. Like usual, Christine was bustling around cleaning and cooking like she was supposed to be doing. I didn't want her doting on me all the time, but it was something that needed to be done.

"Erik, you're home early…"

"I've done all that I can do for today… More supplies will be in tomorrow."

"I was going to make dinner, but you told me that we're going to your friend's home tonight."

"Yes," I replied. "I just need a few moments to freshen up."

"Should I draw you a bath?"

I shook my head and headed to my bedroom.

"That won't be necessary…"

When the door was closed behind me, I drew myself my own bath and sunk my body into the tub. Feeling exhausted, I rested my head against the back of it and closed my eyes as the warm water seeped into my rotting flesh. All I could think about was what the Shah had told me… I had to make our marriage official, take Christine as if she were a slave and nothing more.

"Erik, I brought you in a towel…"

I tried to cover myself with the suds, but she was in the room and gazing my way.

"I told you that I was freshening up…What's wrong with you?"

"I…I thought that I could help is all… Your back still needs to be washed."

I bent forward, my back being exposed before her own very eyes. Her hands lightly brushed up against my scars as she ran the soapy sponge over my healing wounds.

"Y…You've been so quiet lately, Erik. What's wrong?"

"Nothing… Why must there be an explanation for my silence?"

"Because when we were children, you were never silent."

"Have you noticed that we're not children anymore?" I snapped. "Times have changed."

"We are to be married for the rest of our lives, Erik…You don't have to act as though it's a horrible punishment."

Anger was coursing through my veins, so much, that I spit out something that I shouldn't have.

"Tonight we are to consummate our marriage."

After I said those exact words, there was nothing but silence.

"After dinner…When we return home."

"As you wish, master…"

Oh, she was getting me back with that evil word. She knew I detested the very name. After drying off, I dressed and escorted Christine to Nadir's home. It had been a while since I had last been there, but Nadir insisted on having me for dinner, and therefore, I agreed. Christine was silent the entire trip there, for I knew she was still upset about what I had said to her. Yes, it was mean and I wish I could have taken it back, but it was too late for apologies.

"Ah, Erik…" Nadir stepped aside and allowed Christine and I to pass. Once inside, Nadir smiled and kissed Christine's hand.

"You have a beautiful wife, Erik…"

"Yes, she is a delicate flower, isn't she?"

"Well, with that being said, I would like you to meet my son."

A small child that looked like Nadir entered the room and shyly approached me.

"Reza, this is Erik, the mason I was talking to you about…"

The child didn't say anything at first, not until Nadir patted the boy on his head of raven locks.

"Well, aren't you going to say something to Erik and his wife?"

The child looked up at me and wheezed out a simple "hi," before scurrying off to another part of the house.

"Sorry about that, Erik. Reza doesn't speak to anyone really…He barely speaks to me at times. Come, Seena is cooking in the kitchen. Perhaps your wife would like to help her so I can speak to you alone in my office?"

I looked at Christine and she bowed before me.

"That would make me extremely happy, master…"

Oh, she was still playing this evil game! When she was in the kitchen, Nadir gave me a strange look before dragging me into his office.

"Your wife…um…she seems a bit odd, wouldn't you agree?"

"She's toying with me! She knows how much I can't stand to be called that dreaded name, but she does it to annoy me! But I can't blame her seeing that I've been bothersome to her ever since the Shah ordered me to make our marriage official."

I plopped down onto the man's couch and ran my fingers through my dark strands of hair.

"Why so nervous? I mean…well, I was nervous about making love to my wife for the first time too, seeing that she and I didn't really know each other that well. Everything turned out all right the next day and we fell in love."

"I've never…I…I've never been with a woman, Khan. I've never even touched myself when I had the urge to."

"What? Never?"

I shook my head. "I've been through so much pain in my life, Khan… I was taken advantage of by men when I was a boy and it has left a permanent scar. I've known Christine for a good portion of my life, and I've always seen her as a good friend. She's in this mess of a marriage because of me… I left her many years ago out of embarrassment and she has spent years searching for me. I don't want to ruin her…"

"Erik," the man handed me a pipe of some sort and told me to calm down. The substance made my head feel a little light, but it did calm my nerves.

"Just relax, Erik… You can't think about your friendship to her now. You must do as the Shah instructed you to do and make your marriage official. If you don't, he will punish you for it… Besides, you have bigger things to worry about other than taking your slave…The Shah's mother will be arriving soon. When she does arrive, you must promise me that you will keep your head down and out of her sight. She is the snake that you do not want to tangle with… Many a good men have fallen at the slightest twitch of her hands."

I wanted to fix the pain I had put Christine through, therefore, when dinner was over I escorted her to the family room for dessert. I was sipping on a cup of tea, while Nadir was playing with his phonograph. When music filled the room, I couldn't help but feel the urge to dance. Very smoothly, I stood to my feet and extended my hand to Christine.

"Dance with me?"

Christine was silent as she stood to her feet and interlaced her hand with my own. It was strange waltzing with another person, for I had never danced with anyone before. My heart raced from within my chest as she and I slow danced around the family room. I felt as though I was gaining her trust a bit, but I wasn't sure.

"Did you enjoy monsieur Khan's dinner?" I questioned as we were walking home, the purple sky causing the once orange one to become darker.

"I did, master…"

"W…When we get home, I don't want you to call me that anymore. I…I don't want to fight with you, do you understand?"

"Yes…"

When I opened the door to my flat, I allowed Christine to go first. It was now or never…I swallowed hard and locked the door behind me, knowing what had to be done now.

"Tell me what to do, Erik…" Christine pouted as she looked down at her feet.

I placed my finger beneath her chin and lifted it so that she was facing me.

"We have to do this, Christine…It's not by choice. Do you understand?"

"Yes…"

"Good…Go lie down on my bed."

"S…Should I undress?"

"No," I choked. "Just lie down."

When Christine was gone, I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall. How was I going to do this when I wasn't even turned on? I tried to think of anything to get me started, but I found that nothing was working. Feeling extremely frustrated, I ran my shaky hand down to my trousers and reached inside to feel myself.

"Oh, just get it over with…" I groaned.

Instantly, I hurried into my room to find Christine lying there with a candle burning on my night table. I blew out the flame and climbed on top of her in the darkness.

"Erik, what are you doing?" she nervously shuttered.

"I just want to get this over with…I don't want to linger, Christine. It needs to be done."

I could feel Christine nervously shaking from beneath me, causing my small erection to fade away. I was hurting her, hurting her and nothing more. Tears began to fall from my cheeks as I realized what I was doing. All my life, men had forced themselves upon me when I begged to be left alone. How was what I was doing now any different? I was raping this woman, taking her against her will.

"Do it," she sniffled. "Just get it over with…"

But I couldn't… I quickly rolled off her body and ran to the door.

"Erik, what are you doing?"

"I can't do this…If I do, how would that make what my master did to me any different? I'm not a rapist, and I don't want to do this to you."

"But the Shah…"

"Goodnight, Christine…"

And with that being said, I slammed the door to my bedroom shut and sunk to my knees. I was a horrible man…

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**Good for you, Erik! You only want to do what is right... Well, now that Erik can't be with Christine tonight, he will take a walk. Reviewers shall get a visit from him. He really needs a hug... Poor poor guy. Please review! **


	26. Chapter 26

**Ok, so I wanted to warn everyone before they read this chapter. This chapter is rated M for something I will not leak out... Let's just say that this chapter shows the Shah's true colors. He's a sick man with some sick ideas of entertainment. With that being said, read on my Phans. Just wanted to warn those who don't like reading nasty stuff. But, as I've said before, this story is a dark take on Erik's life... Happy reading!**

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**Erik's POV**

The next morning before work, I played my violin to ease the pain and memories of the previous evening.

"Erik?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I stopped playing and put down the violin. Oh, how could I ever face her again?

"Erik, what you did last night…"

"It was the actions of a monster," I began. "No respectable man would ever do what I did."

"You were just trying to protect me, Erik. It's been a long time since our childhood, but I want things to be like they used to be. I want to spend endless nights talking to you from beneath the blanket forts you used to make us. I want to get lost in your stories again…Is that so much to ask? We're married, and even though a husband isn't supposed to love his wife like a man should over here, I want you to."

"You're not mad at me for last night?"

Christine shook her head. "I don't want to fight with you anymore, Erik. Can we please treat each other like we used to? There was a time where we used to be inseparable…"

"On one condition," I said.

"Anything…"

"From now on, when you're angry, don't call me master… I know that you have to do so when we're out in public, but not here, Christine."

"All right…"

I packed my instrument away and stood to my feet. "I have to work now, Christine. When I come home, we will have a few of these long awaited conversations."

The palace extension was nearly finished. All that was left was just a small portion that I needed to redo. I had only been working an hour, when I noticed the workers giving me evil looks. I knew that they were curious about my face, for their eyes were fixated on my mask.

"Erik of Egypt?"

I was caught off guard when I heard my name being called.

"Yes?"

There was a guard standing before me now.

"The Shah wishes to see you…"

Knowing that I needed to follow the guard, I ignored the men who were eying me up and left my post.

"Ah, Erik of Egypt, I have come to invite you to dine with me…"

The Shah was already sat at his small dining room table when I arrived. There had been a spot made up for me, and when a guard pulled out a chair, I was ordered to sit.

"So, Erik of Egypt, I hear that my palace is nearly finished. Is that true?"

Wine was now being poured into my empty glass and I picked it up to take a sip. The liquor was strong, but tasty all the same.

"Your palace will be done within a few days time, your highness."

"I expect you to give my mother a tour once she arrives. She will be living in that part of the palace."

"Yes, your highness…"

"I have a treat for you, Erik of Egypt…"

The Shah snapped his fingers, causing my Christine to come walking in. Oh, why was she here! She was a lot safer in my flat!

"I have decided upon inviting your slave to feed you your lunch. That is her duty, none the less… Isn't that right, Christine?"

"Yes, your highness…"

The Shah handed Christine some grapes and ordered her to feed them to me. Oh, I would not stand to have her being treated like a dog.

"Your highness, as much as I love my slave, I prefer to feed myself my meals. I have other uses for her."

"Other uses? Word around the palace is that you enjoy other pleasures."

"I don't know what you're talking about, your highness…"

"Rumor is that you let men take advantage of you when you were younger."

I had been holding my glass of wine, but when I heard this, I nearly dropped it. How had he heard? I only told this to…NADIR! That bastard! He had betrayed me…

"So, is that why you haven't made your marriage official? You enjoy the pleasures of men instead of women?"

"No," I cried. "Never…I am not like that, not one bit."

"Then why? Why haven't you consummated your bloody marriage! I have given you chance after chance to make it official and yet, you have disobeyed me! Punishment is in order for you, Erik of Egypt!"

"No!"

"You will learn to obey me! Was your whipping not enough for you to understand that I am the sun and stars around here and what I say goes!"

Two guards grabbed my wife and dragged her away as she kicked and screamed. I tried to run after her, but I was also grabbed and hauled away as well.

"We are going to settle this right now."

I wasn't sure where I was being taken, but I could hear people…lots and lots of people. Suddenly, the doors to the palace swung open and we were met with a crowd of people. They were standing around as if waiting for something to happen. My Christine was in the center, her robe torn as she stood there sobbing and attempting to cover herself with her arms. This was all my fault… If only I had consummated our marriage last night! I was thrown to my knees, the dust flying up from all around me.

"I think I know why you refuse to take your living and breathing wife as your own, Erik of Egypt." The Shah began.

The Shah knelt down to my height and reached out for my mask. I tried to flinch, really, I did, but I was no match against this monster. He tilted my mask up just enough to see my bloated lips and rotting flesh of my cheek.

"You look like a corpse…" The Shah concluded. "And sadly, Erik of Egypt, corpses only fuck corpses…"

"Don't hurt her…" I cried. "Don't hurt my slave…"

"Hurt your slave? You're married to her, Erik of Egypt. She has done nothing wrong…"

Suddenly, the Shah snapped his fingers and another body was tossed down beside me. I was afraid to look, but when my eyes gained enough courage to take a peek, I noticed it was the corpse of a dead girl, but not just any girl, the whore who had denied me. Oh, she smelled horrible and by the way her body had decayed, she must have been dead for a week or more.

"Now, Erik of Egypt, you have one of two choices. You can choose to either take your slave in front of everyone, or, take this corpse and show your true colors."

I looked up at Christine to find that she had tears in her eyes. How could I possibly choose something so horrible! I had to either make love to this corpse or make love to her… Both choices were humiliating, but one would only humiliate me. I didn't want to touch this corpse, but if I chose Christine, she would be humiliated as well. No… I cared for this girl very much, that being the reason why I refused to take her as my own in front of the city. I would save her all the pain and suffering by taking her place.

"Choose quickly!" the Shah snapped as I felt a whip come down along my back.

"Master…" Christine tried to speak, but my trousers were already being torn away from me by a few guards. The entire city was staring at my naked and scarred bottom now. Since I was looking at Christine, the Shah must have thought I had chosen her, for the guards were grabbing her now.

"No!" I cried. "Not her…I don't want her."

The Shah was laughing now, laughing because he was going to get the show he wanted.

"I knew I was right…"

"I don't want…"

"I don't care what you want! Get on with it, Corpse!"

Both my mind and body shut down at that point, for I was forced to make love to a dead body. I vomited three times as the town laughed at me. I tried to pull away many times, but the guards kept pushing me down.

"Not until you finish, corpse lover!"

This was my first time with any woman and I was thankful that I didn't last more than a few minutes. Christine was screaming and crying while the city was laughing at me… Even the Shah was laughing as if this were the funniest thing he had ever witnessed.

"All right, enough with this…"

When I heard Nadir's voice, I looked up to find him walking forward with his sword drawn.

"If you treat your master mason like this, your highness, how do you expect your palace to get done in time? You've had your fun with him, now enough is enough."

The Persian pulled me from the corpse and handed me my trousers. I was covered in my own vomit and the city was still watching me.

"Have it your way, Khan… Take him to his room. Oh, that was truly entertaining. I knew he was into corpses…literally…"

I wouldn't speak to anyone that evening, not even Khan… He washed my shocked body and put me to bed. He tried to speak with me, but I was in so much shock that I couldn't even speak. When he was gone, I shook from beneath the blankets as I tried to think about something other than what I had been forced to do with that rotting corpse. Like the old days, I made a tent out of my blankets, a tent to bury my ashamed body in.

"Erik?"

When I heard Christine's soft voice a while later, I pressed my eyes closed and began to sob. Not her…Oh, how embarrassing! How could she possibly want to be married to me now? After what I had chosen to do?

"You're hiding like old times…" she whispered. "You only hid like this when you were upset."

A few seconds later, I felt the blankets of my fort moving, only to spot her crawling in beside me.

"Y…You didn't have to do that for me today, Erik. I…I know that you chose the corpse to save me from a life long period of embarrassment."

When I didn't answer her, she wrapped her arm around my torso and cried into my back…I could feel her tears soaking into my shirt.

"Thank you, Erik…"

"You know, Christine, I don't wish to talk about this anymore. Just knowing that I gave my virginity to a corpse makes my stomach churn. I…I don't want to live anymore."

"Don't say that, Erik… Please don't say that. I want you to stay with me forever. We're married now and I plan on keeping that vow, no matter how long it takes us to get used to it."

I turned around so that I was facing Christine and rested my head on my pillow. The tears that were seeping through my mask were instantly wiped away by her angelic fingers…Oh, this girl was something else.

"Tomorrow is another day… Maybe, just maybe, we'll sail across the sea, put it out of mind… Leave this place behind."

It was like a prayer…a soft yet angelic prayer. Leave this place behind? There was nothing that I wanted more than to leave Persia, for it was a nightmare anymore.

"Wh…Where would we go?" I choked. "There isn't a place in this world that would accept me. I've been to many places in my lifetime and I'm not accepted anywhere."

"Anywhere with you is the greatest place in the world, Erik…Now, let's not talk about what happened to you anymore. Let's just try to sleep…"

Christine snuggled down beside me and closed her eyes. It made me happy, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel my blood running red. I wasn't sure if we would ever leave Persia, but one thing was for sure, I wouldn't be leaving without killing the Shah…

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**Ok, so this chapter was a little gruesome, but I warned you. At least Christine is a little understanding...Please review!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Erik's POV**

"Ah, there is my little corpse lover…"

I was just finishing up the extension of the palace, when I heard the Shah's taunting voice. Oh, how it irked me to no end to hear him teasing me. I squeezed my fists and held in my anger as he walked past where I was cleaning up.

"I do hope the pleasure was incredible for you, Erik of Egypt. If you enjoyed it so much, I could make an arrangement for your little wife to be your next corpse."

"Enough!" I snapped. "Don't you even think about touching her…"

"You're very mouthy today, Erik of Egypt… I'd hate to have to punish you for it. Anyway, stand up and follow me. I'm going to show you something."

All I could think about as I followed this man was how to kill him. After what he had made me do the previous evening, I couldn't think of anything more. He deserved to die a horrible death and I would see to it that he did. For now, I would play the thankful servant.

"Ah, here we are…" The Shah led me to an open area of the palace where there were animals in cages and people juggling. I wasn't sure what all this was for, but I knew the Shah was going to tell me.

"My mother will be here soon enough. Entertainment was in order, Erik of Egypt. You see, my mother loves to be entertained and I have supplied her with the best of the best from all around the world. Lion tamers, jugglers, acrobats…anything! You name it, we have it."

My eyes switched to a cage where a lion was locked inside. My heart began to ache, for he seemed weak and sick. I loved animals, for they were the only beings that didn't care about my appearance. The Shah was talking to another man now, and at first, I thought nothing of it… That was until I heard that familiar voice and the barking of hounds!

"Your mama will love what I have in store for her… She will enjoy my little show."

It was my master! Javert! I gasped and spun around to see the two of them talking a few feet away. It was his caravan! Javert! It was him! He looked older, but he still had his long bearded and piercing yellow eyes. My heart raced from within my chest as I watching him talking to the Shah. I wanted to run over to the man and slice his throat, but I stayed hidden, hoping that the Shah wouldn't introduce me to him. Oh, death would surely be coming for this man, for I have been waiting for this moment my entire life. There was nothing I wanted to do more than to get my revenge for all the pain and suffering Javert had put me through… The puppy that he had kicked was grown now, grown and thirsty for his blood.

"Come, my Erik of Egypt. You have to get back to the palace now and make sure that everything looks perfect for my mother's visit. I do want you to give her a tour when she arrives."

After spending hours of cleaning up the palace, I stood to my feet and headed home. Christine was already inside my flat cooking dinner, and when I arrived, a smile formed across her beautiful lips.

"I've been waiting for you, Erik," she replied. "You're nearly an hour late."

"I had to finish cleaning up the palace," I began as I took my seat in my usual spot at the table. "The Shah's mother is going to be arriving soon and he wanted everything to be perfect. I'm sorry that I kept dinner waiting."

When Christine placed my dinner down in front of me, she gasped when she noticed how sore my shoulders looked. They were indeed sore, for I had been on my hands and knees all day.

"Here, let me help you…"

I couldn't eat like this, not when she was loosening my dirty shirt and running a cool compress over my bare shoulders. Yes, it felt wonderful, but she was acting like a slave again.

"Christine, enough…Please."

"Am I doing something wrong?"

"Christine, you've been making me dinner for the past week. You cook and clean all day and when I arrive home, you put my dinner in front of me and turn to do something else. I've eaten here alone, and then, when I'm finished you take away my dish."

"Erik, if the Shah caught me eating dinner with you, he would not only have my head for it, but yours as well."

"This is my home, is it not? Are we sitting with the Shah in his court right now? No… I told you before that I wanted to treat you as my wife and not like my slave. Now, make yourself up a plate and take a seat."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No, this is a demand…"

When Christine took a seat across from me, she nervously smiled.

"I…I usually eat after you're finished with your meal."

"Well, now we can eat together."

Christine and I were both about to dig into our meals, when a knock occurred at the door. Christine gasped and struggled to her feet.

"Oh, no…I knew this was a bad idea! I…I shouldn't have done this."

Usually, when someone knocked, they wouldn't come barging in, but the person that was at the door did just that, for a few seconds later, Nadir was approaching my dinner table.

"Monsieur Khan," Christine cried, getting down to her knees. "Please, I beg of you, don't report this to the Shah… My master simply requested that I sit with him."

"Enough, Christine, on your feet…"

Nadir helped Christine up and handed her the plate she had made for herself.

"Your secret is safe with me. I have not come to stir up trouble, I have come to speak with your husband. Now, take your food into the other room and give the two of us some privacy."

I immediately stood up from my spot, my height overpowering the man.

"You will not tell my wife what to do, Khan… She will obey me and only me… As for you, I will speak with you in my private chambers."

"Very well then…"

I patted Christine on the back and ordered her to retake her seat. When we were finally alone in my chambers, I caught the man off guard and slammed him against the door by his throat.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right where you stand!"

"Erik, take it easy, man… You're not thinking straight."

"Thinking straight! Thinking straight! Did you see what the Shah made me do yesterday?! He taunted me about how I enjoyed getting raped by men… You're the only one I told that too. You betrayed me!"

"Erik…Erik, I did no such thing! I didn't say a word about that to the Shah. He has spies all over the palace. They can hear everything that you say! I did not tell the Shah that you were raped by men."

"Did you see what they made me do yesterday, Khan? I…I had to make love to a corpse before the entire city. Do you know how embarrassing that was? I can't even look my wife in the eyes, man! She was right there watching me…"

"Erik, I can't breathe…Let me go."

"Good! I'm glad you can't breathe! Perhaps you can feel a little of what I feel from time to time. The Shah doesn't put you through the torture that he puts me through. Today he taunted me about the corpse I had to fuck! Do you think I enjoyed that?"

Finally, I let the man go, causing him to gasp for air.

"Get out, Khan! I don't wish to speak with you again."

"Erik, I didn't betray you, this I swear. I swear this on my son's life that I did not speak a word to him. I would never tell that man anything about you."

"I can't trust anyone…Speak a word about what you saw my wife doing tonight, and I won't think twice about having your head for it."

"Erik…"

"OUT!"

This caused the man to go running out my front door. I was so angry about yelling at him, that I found that I wasn't hungry anymore. No, I was mad and in need of my revenge.

"Erik, are you going to eat with me?"

"No," I snapped. "I'm going out… Don't wait up for me tonight, Christine."

"But, Erik…"

Christine tried to grab hold of my arm, but I pulled away.

"Don't you ever touch me again, do you understand? You're supposed to obey me!"

Once more I regretted the words I had said, but it was already too late, for she was once again in tears. I couldn't even look at her, for all I could see was the embarrassment I had been put through. I ran out the door and through the hallways of the palace. Tonight, I was going to murder that man! Tonight, I was going to get the revenge I deserved from Javert! I headed back to the same place the Shah had taken me to earlier in the day. Everything was silent now, silent and dead. The animals were asleep in their cages and the caravans of performers were silent. From out of my pocket, I reached for my carving knife and approached the cage where the lion was locked inside. He seemed sick…Oh, so sick. I pitied the poor beast and began to pick at the padlock with the blade of my knife.

"You poor animal," I whispered. "It's all right…I'm going to give you a treat."

The lion didn't seem to move once the door to his cage was unlocked, but that was alright, for this was just the beginning of my plans.

I prepared myself for the danger that was to come by taking a few deep breaths. Once I was ready, I barged through the caravan door and grabbed my master by the throat. He gagged at first and tried to fight me, but it was no use, for my hands were clamped tightly around his throat.

"And so, we meet again!" I growled. "And this time, I won't stand for your abuse!"

The man punched me upside the head, causing me to hit the back of the caravan.

"You!" he choked. "You! I thought I murdered you!"

"No, but it's time that you were…"

The man lunged for his whip, giving me enough time to dart out of the caravan and towards the lion's cage.

"You're going to die this time, demon! I'm done dealing with you…"

I felt the end of his whip against my back, but I continued running, right up until I tripped and fell in front of the lion's cage. Though, as soon as I did so, I reached up for the door, causing the lion to leap out and land on top of my master. I rolled over and spotted the lion tearing the man's throat apart…There was a pool of blood everywhere and the noise was beginning to draw out the other performers. I quickly scrambled to my feet and tried to blend in with the background. My master was dead! He was finally dead…I had gotten my revenge and the man had died a horrible death. Oh, I hope he suffered for what he had done to me. Years of thinking about him had made me weak, but not weak enough to kill him. I had been thirsting for his blood, and now, I finally had it.

"We need to summon the Shah at once!" I heard one of the performers cry.

But I wasn't sticking around for that…No, I backed away into the hall and slipped towards my flat. Tonight, I had killed Javert, and now, my past nightmares could finally be put to rest.

* * *

**There's a little action packed chapter for you... Ugh oh... Erik better get out of there before the Shah finds out what he did. Please review!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Erik's POV**

That evening, after killing my master, I snuck back into my flat and changed. For the first time in my life, some of the weight finally came off of my shoulders and I found that I could sleep a little easier.

"Erik…Erik, wake up…"

The following morning, I woke to Christine lightly shaking me. I groaned and sat up to rub my masked face.

"What is it?"

"There's someone at the door…"

I sat up and buttoned my shirt, finding that Christine was still in bed beside me.

"Who would be at the door?"

I wasn't sure, but I motioned Christine to stay put as I approached the front door and pulled it open.

"The Shah wishes to see you…"

There was a guard standing on the other side. I wasn't sure why the Shah wanted to see me, but if it had anything to do with the murder of my master, I didn't want to stand before him.

"I'm ill…" I lied, slightly gripping my stomach. "I…I think the sun has gotten to me."

"The Shah has ordered me to bring you to him. I do not care that you're ill. If you do not agree to come along willingly, I will drag you there…"

"Can I have five minutes to change into some proper attire?"

"Absolutely not…"

Before I could protest, I was grabbed by the man and hauled away by three more guards. Oh, I was dead! Surely I was going to die, for why would the Shah want me to be brought before him this early in the morning? To make matters worse, Christine was being dragged behind me. Not her! She didn't do anything wrong…

"The master mason, your highness."

I was tossed before the throne, and when I looked up, not only was the Shah staring down at me, but there was an older woman sat beside him as well. She wasn't much to look at, for her dark skin was wrinkled and her hair had gone grey…But her eyes! They were yellow and they were burning into my skull.

"Mother, this is the mason I was telling you about. The one that built the palace's extension."

"Not much for looks is he?" she purred. "He doesn't look that strong either. Surely you must be mistaken, son…"

"No, mother I am completely sure that this is the man who extended the palace. I would have had you meet him a different way, but there are some serious matters right now that need to be taken care of. Last evening, my mother's surprise performer was mauled to death by my lion. Do you know anything about that, Erik of Egypt?"

I shook my head. "No, your highness… I…I spent the entire evening wrapped up in my music."

Right then and there, the Shah snapped his fingers, causing a large whip to come cracking down upon my back.

"I'm going to ask you again, corpse, and lie to me once more and I won't think twice about punishing you for it. Last night, my lion mauled my mother's surprise performance! He was let out of his cage! There are at least five of my people who have placed you at the scene of the crime! I'm sure if I asked around I could find more. Now tell me!"

I wasn't going to say a single word to the man, for if I did, I knew it would have been my death. Though as soon as one of the guards grabbed Christine by the throat, I came to her defense.

"Don't hurt her…" I begged. "If you promise not to hurt my slave, I will tell you what happened."

"Agreed… Now speak, monster!"

"I…I killed Javert." I confessed. "He…He did horrible things to me once. I haven't seen him in years, but when I saw him last night, I knew what needed to be done. I let the lion out of his cage…"

"Horrible things to you?" the Shah quarreled. "I would love to know what these so called horrible things were? Would you care to explain?"

I opened my mouth, but the words never came out. Though, when Christine began to squeal from the slight torture the guards were bestowing upon her, I blurted everything out.

"He raped me several times when I was a child. Men like that don't deserve to live…"

"Ah, so it was my mother's surprise that raped you? Well, now who is going to entertain her? You killed her surprise… Perhaps I will find someone to rape you in front of her… Take you from behind! My mother enjoys torture, corpse!"

My heart was racing from within my chest…Oh, to feel that same agony once more would simply be the death of me.

"Enough with that," The Shah's mother growled. "Take a seat, you selfish brat. If it wasn't for your father dying at an early age, you would still be sitting beside him sucking your thumb. I do enjoy torture, but what you're speaking of is just filthy. Besides, who is this girl anyway? Your scaring the poor creature."

"That would be the corpse's slave, mother. They were just recently married…"

The Shah's mother circled Christine, her eyes scanning every inch of her body.

"She's too pretty to be with something as hideous as this mason. And why does he wear a mask?"

"He's deformed, mother…Horribly deformed."

The evil woman grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her.

"And he has two different shades of blue in his eyes. Strange… This one is a rare creature. I'd keep him around for a while. He may be worth something one day. No, from now on, I want this thing to be my personal entertainment."

"And what would you have him do, mother? He builds cathedrals and palaces… What use would he be to you?"

"It's not the entertainment I seek, son… It's the torture that will be bestowed upon him. As for his slave, let her go… She hasn't done anything to you."

The Shah snapped his fingers. "Take her back to Erik's flat."

I knew Christine didn't want to leave, but what choice did she have? When she was gone, the Shah ran his fingers along the bone necklace that he was wearing around his neck.

"Not only did you take away my mother's entertainment, Erik of Egypt, but I had to have my guards kill my lion as well. Do you know how hard it is to find a lion around this part of the world? I spent a lot of my hard earned money to have such a fine specimen brought here. Punishment is in order for you."

"Forgive me, your highness," I begged. "I never would have touched your lion if it wasn't necessary. I was only seeking the revenge I so deserved. Forgive me and I will build something else for you…Something greater than the extension of your palace."

"Enough!" the moment the Shah shouted those exact words, a whip came down across my back once again. I winced, and looked down at my feet… Things were really starting to get scary now, for this man was capable of anything.

"I'd like a tour of the palace," the Shah's mother replied. "You did promise me a tour, son. I've traveled far to get here and all I wish is to be entertained. Instead, you're punishing this creature for the death of one pointless lion. The thing was sick anyway… That's what you told me. You can purchase another one soon enough. Money will buy anything that your heart desires."

"He still wasted my money! Not only did he take away one of my performers, but he also caused the death of my lion! He needs to be punished!"

"Well, get on with it then! I'm growing bored as each moment passes!"

All of a sudden the Shah's fist clamped down around his necklace.

"I've got it! Oh, why didn't I think of this before?"

Once more, the Shah snapped his fingers and four guards grabbed a part of me. I was locked in their tight grips now as the Shah approached me with his punishment.

"Khan!"

Nadir was called before the court and he came running with a worried expression displayed across his face.

"Yes, your highness?"

"Khan, what is the punishment for the slaughtering of the Shah's pet?"

"Um…This has never happened before, your highness. This was the first animal that has been killed in the palace."

"Well then, what about performers? What is the punishment for murder in the palace?"

"Your father always said "an eye for an eye," your highness. If you killed someone, then you were to die the same way the person was killed."

"I don't want to kill this monster… He's too valuable to me, Khan! I simply wish to punish him, and whipping the man just doesn't seem to get through to him."

"Y…You always had a special place for the people who were most valuable to you, your highness…"

Once more, the Shah grabbed the end of his necklace and smiled.

"I knew you were good for something, Khan! Take my Erik of Egypt out back and have the doctor cut out two of his ribs… I'll add it to my most treasured necklace."

My ribs? My heart ceased within my chest as Nadir's jaw dropped in shock. This had been his idea! The man wanted to call himself my friend, and yet, he had suggested that the Shah take my ribs!

"Your highness, I would never go against your word, but your mason is still recuperating from his wounds. He would be no use to you if he were to die on the table. Perhaps something a bit less dangerous would be better. Starvation and the torture chamber would be better, wouldn't you say?"

The Shah grabbed Nadir by the shirt and hauled him up. "Go against my word again, Khan, and I won't think twice about adding your ribs to my necklace as well. Now, be a loyal servant and take my mason out back! I always get what I want, and right now, I want two of his ribs added to my necklace!"

"Y…Yes, your highness."

I kicked and screamed the entire time I was being dragged outback. Once there, the guards forced me down to a wooden table of some sort and tied my arms and legs so that I couldn't move.

"Erik, you need to listen to me…" Nadir frantically replied.

Everything was happening so fast… My clothes were being torn from my body and the so called doctor was sharpening his knives.

"Erik, listen to me…"

"You did this to me!" I cried. "You caused this!"

"Erik, the Shah could have done something much worse."

I could have argued with the man, but I didn't… No, I spit in his face. This man was no friend of mine. He wasn't on my side for a single second… No, he worked for the Shah and with work, he also honored him. How? How could anyone look up to someone as evil as he was? I was waiting to be put out, but when the doctor began to dig the sharp blade of his knife into my chest, I knew that this was my punishment! The pain and agony of feeling my ribs being torn from my chest. Everything went red, for now I was gushing blood. Nadir forced a rag into my mouth to bite down upon, but I soon found myself falling unconscious due to the extreme pain of it all. I would never trust Nadir Khan again, nor would I get in the Shah's way… Yes, he could have done something much worse than this… He could have raped my wife… He could have taken Christine's ribs instead of my own. I knew that I was going to kill the Shah before the year was out, but if he ever hurt my angel of music, his death would come sooner.

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**Yikes! The Shah is soooo mean. Please review, everyone! Maybe the next chapter will be happier...**


	29. Chapter 29

**Erik's POV**

When I woke, the first thing I noticed was that I couldn't breathe as well as I normally could breathe. I took a big breath, finding that as soon as I did so, my entire chest burned with an unbearable pain. I quickly reached out for my chest, only to find that it felt strange… I knew that I had always been skin and bones, but now, my chest felt as though it were caved in. Finally, I found the strength to open my eyes, only to realize that the right side of my chest was indeed caved in. My ribs…That bastard had taken two of my ribs! Not only was my chest caved in, but where the so called doctor had cut me had been stitched with a thick piece of rope instead of thread. I had been gutted and sewn up like a Thanksgiving turkey!

"Ah, you're awake…"

I was too weak to move any other part of my body, which was why I stayed silent as the Shah entered the room of my flat, cradling his new piece of jewelry in the palm of his hand. It sickened me to see him wearing my ribs like some sort of trophy!

"I'm glad to see that my master mason is still alive… No one has ever survived such a punishment before. But, I do believe that your ribs have become a treasured necklace, my Erik of Egypt."

I tried to take another deep breath, but found that I couldn't.

"It will take some getting used to, my mason, but in time, you will learn to live without them. The real reason why I came here was to inform you that you will be entertaining my mother tomorrow afternoon. Seeing that you murdered her main source of entertainment, I expect you to take his place. Nadir tells me that your magic tricks are to die for… I shall see you then."

With my ribs dangling from around his neck, the Shah made his way to the door of my home. Perform? I was to perform for his mother? I wouldn't ever show her a single magic trick! But…But if I refused, what would he do to me then?

"Oh, and I forgot to warn you, Erik of Egypt…" The Shah popped his head back into my room. "Fail to show up tomorrow and I won't think twice about taking your beautiful slave to my bed. I'm sure she could use a real man's body... Sweet dreams, demon."

When the Shah was finally gone, I pressed my eyes closed and took notice that I was beginning to sweat. I wasn't hot, so why was there perspiration dripping from every ounce of my flesh?

"Erik…"

Christine's worried tone of voice filled my ears as she entered my bedroom and approached the side of my bed with a damp cloth.

"Erik…" she had tears in her eyes as she gazed down at my newly malformed abdomen.

"D…Don't look at me!" I choked, pulling the blankets over my sore chest. "Go…Go away."

"How could that monster do such a thing to you? You poor man…"

"Don't pity me, Christine! You are my slave, don't forget your place."

"I know you don't mean what you say. You're upset, and I understand why. I'm trying to help you…"

"Then help me by getting out of my sight and leaving me in peace!"

That last outburst caused excruciating agony to my chest, causing me to cough. My temper must have frightened the girl, for she fled my room and slammed the door on her way out. I never meant what I said, but my temper always got the best of me. In an attempt to sleep, I closed my eyes and fell into a fitful slumber, the sweating and pain only getting worse as the hours went on. Later that evening, I found myself gasping for air, only to feel my uncomfortable mask being pulled gently over my head. I could barely open my eyes, otherwise, I would have opened them to see who was doing this. Soon after, I felt a damp cloth against my twisted flesh.

"_You are music, beautiful music and you are life to me…"_

It was Christine! She was singing this to me in her sweet voice as if trying to comfort my pain. I sighed in relief, afraid that she would run from my face, but she was touching it with this cool cloth. I wasn't sure if there was light in the room, for all I could sense was darkness, but then again, maybe there was a candle or two burning on my night table. She stayed by my side the entire night, humming that beautiful tune to calm me down. At one point, I wanted to tell her to go to sleep, but my body was too weak to move a muscle.

I had hoped to feel better when the sun came up, but sadly, my condition only worsened. Instead of sweat, I was shaking now, shaking and I could feel liquid oozing from my wound. My pillow was covered in perspiration, so much that it felt as though I had dropped it into a bucket of water.

"Erik, I brought you something to help…"

I cracked my eyes open to find Christine walking to my side with another compress in hand. But this time, she didn't just have a compress, she was carrying an entire basin of cool water.

"Y…You don't look well."

The blankets were settled at my waist, giving Christine access to the upper area of my body. The moment her worried fingers brushed over the rope that had been threaded into the flesh of my chest, my body rose from the mattress.

"This is cruel…" she mewed. "That man did this on purpose to cause you pain."

"Y…You think so?" I lightly cringed.

"It's…It's infected."

"I…I feel like I'm going to die…"

"Don't say that," she begged. "Please, don't say that."

Christine was just placing her hand at the top of my forehead, when there was a loud knock at the door. She looked down at me with her beautiful eyes before rising and answering the door. I closed my eyes just for a second, only to hear my angel's frantic scream.

"Christine?!" I shouted her name, but I did not get a response, instead, I saw two of the Shah's guards barging into my room and taking hold of my body.

"Master!" Christine ran to my room and called out for me. "You can't have him… He's dying!"

"The Shah wishes to see him, and so, whatever the Shah wants, the Shah gets!"

As the guards were carrying me, they pushed Christine aside and dragged me through the palace until I was tossed before the Shah's throne.

"Sleeping in, were you?" he taunted me in that childish voice of his. "Well, the early bird catches the worm, and you, my Erik of Egypt, are about to catch that worm."

I tried to get to my feet, but could only do so by grasping the table of props the Shah had set out for me.

"Go on now…Dazzle my mother with one of your infamous magic tricks that I keep hearing about."

My legs were shaking as I looked down at the props set out along the table. There were animals, balls, a few cups, and a deck of cards. My fingers wrapped themselves around the deck of cards as I supported my weak body against the table with my other hand.

"I can't believe you let your back door quack butcher this monster for his ribs…" The Shah's mother mocked. "He can't even stand on his feet. I think this should be quite entertaining."

Behind me, I noticed Nadir standing at the doorway to the main hall. Oh, how I wanted to kill the man, but I couldn't, for the Shah would have my head for it.

"F…For…F…For…" I was on the verge of passing out, but I stayed strong, knowing that I had to do this to keep Christine safe.

"For my next…For my next trick…"

"Next trick?" The Shah's mother chuckled. "We haven't even seen the first one!"

The cards in my hand suddenly dropped and scattered all over my feet. At this point, the room began to spin and I fell backwards and landed on the floor.

"Oh, this is better than that clown you hired to make me laugh!" The Shah's mother continued in that boisterous laugh of hers.

"Get that demon on his feet! I tried to be nice, but now, he's just angering me…"

Two guards came out of nowhere and lifted me to my feet once again. I reached out and used the table for support, finding that I could no longer concentrate.

"Your call, mother…" The Shah sneered. "What would you have me make this demon do for you?"

"How about a dance? I would love to see this mason dance for his life…"

"Then it shall be done… Bring me the snake at once!"

Sweat was pouring from my head as I stood there maskless in front of the entire palace. I was so exhausted and woozy that I couldn't even tell if my appearance was making anyone uneasy. Next thing I knew, there was a basket being placed a few feet away from me, and when it was dumped, I came face to face with a white python.

"All right, demon… Dance!" The Shah demanded. "Dance for your life… Don't let her bite you. It has been said that her venom can stop your heart in a matter of seconds."

The snake began to slither towards me, my feet stumbling backwards. The moment the snake snapped at me, I jumped, causing my body to land on the floor once more. The Shah and his mother found this to be amusing, for I could hear them bursting out with laughter. Cruel…Such cruelty! I was tired of fighting, so much so, that I plopped back against the floor and waited to feel the fangs of this snake against my flesh. Though, instead of death, I heard footsteps and then, spotted Nadir jumping in with his sword pointed towards the snake. The man used his blade to block the snake from biting me. Afterwards, he scooped it up by its tail and put her back into the basket.

"What is the meaning of this!" the Shah growled. "How dare you interfere with my mother's entertainment!"

"I do not wish to stop your mother from having fun, your highness, but you must not forget that here, on the floor before you, is your master mason."

"Your point being?"

"If you kill him, there will be nobody to take his place…at least nobody like him. You've had your fun with him, now I believe it is time to summon another one of your workers to entertain you. The blue prints for your new construction are nearly complete and you will need someone to put those drawings into an actual work of art."

The Shah sat silent for a few moments before motioning Nadir to take me away.

"Get him out of here before I change my mind…"

In one swift motion, Nadir lifted my body into his strong arms and carried me out of the main hall.

"Erik, you're really ill… Your wound, it's infected. I'm going to take you home and summon for a real doctor."

"Put me down," I groaned. "I…I don't want your help, you're…you're a traitor."

"And right now, I'm all you have. Without me, you won't get well again, and if you don't get a doctor's help, you will die a painful death."

Christine let Nadir in and when I was placed on my bed, Christine was instructed to keep me cool until he returned with help. At this rate, I wasn't even sure if I could trust him to return. For all I knew, this could be another one of his evil tricks. Time would only tell, and yet, my time was running out.

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**Hey everyone, for those of you who are loving this story, thank you. I know a few of you don't like it, but this story is written to be dark. Anyway, I'm chapters ahead of this story and almost finished writing it. So, for my next story, I am going to let you be the ones to pick the plot line. When you review, pop in your idea for a new story. If I like the idea, I shall use it in writing my newest story. Thanks again, everyone!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Erik's POV**

"Oh, Erik, what did that evil man do to you?"

Christine cradled my head in her lap in an attempt to keep me both comfortable and cool. When I heard her sniffle, I looked up to notice that she was crying.

"C…Christine…"

"You can't die, my Erik. You just can't…"

"Christine…One…mustn't cry over something like this…"

"But you're my husband. We haven't even started to love one another yet. You can't…"

Before I could say another word, the door to my flat opened and I spotted Nadir entering with another Persian man. Before the other man could see my face, Christine placed my mask back on and continued cradling my head. My heart was pounding against my ears as Nadir and the other man spoke to one another in their native tongue…It was a language I still didn't understand. As this supposed doctor spoke to me, Nadir translated.

"He says that you're very sick."

"It's quite obvious, wouldn't you say?" I choked. "I didn't need someone to come here and tell me that."

The man continued to speak as his muscular hands reached out to graze my stitched up wound. Just the mere contact of his hand caused me great pain.

"He said that you're wound has infecting your body and it needs to be drained before it reaches your heart."

The man had brought along a bag of some sort and after reaching inside, he brought out a jar filled with black leeches.

"Khan, I don't know who you went out and found, but I don't want those things on me."

"Erik, your body is infected and the leeches are going to purify your body. Just relax…"

I tried to sleep as the leeches sucked away at my infected chest. The sensation was painful, but only because my body was already in agony. For fifteen minutes the leeches sucked away at my wound until the man took them away. Only then did he place a rag into my mouth to bite down upon.

"He says that he doesn't have much to make you numb, but promises that it will be over in a few seconds."

I wanted to throw up…I wanted to pass out, but sadly, I sat through every ounce of agony. The man cut the rope from my flesh with a pair of scissors and re-stitched my wound with a thin piece of black thread. Christine stayed by my side the entire forty minutes, calming me with words of wisdom. When everything was over, the man told Nadir some instructions to get me well. With my eyes closed, I heard Nadir softly telling Christine how to care for me.

"The doctor said Erik needs plenty of fluids to bring down his fever. Every hour dab his head with a cold compress and every night, change his bandages."

When the silence began, I felt a hand on my shoulder, only to open my eyes and find Nadir standing over me.

"I'll work on keeping the Shah out of your hair for the next few days so you can rest. Get some sleep…"

When Nadir left, Christine brought me a glass of water and lifted my head to help me drink it.

"Refreshing?" she questioned. "Nadir just brought it up. The Shah keeps the coolest water locked away."

"He's going to get himself killed."

"Here, just rest, I'll sit here and make you comfortable."

"Another pillow would make me more comfortable."

Christine gently lifted my body up and placed an extra pillow beneath my back before lying me back down.

"Thank…Thank you."

"Here, ange…" Christine settled herself down at the end of the bed and took my foot into her hand. When she began to massage it, I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Feel good?"

"Yes…"

"If you want, I'll sing to you until you fall asleep."

"It won't take long for me to fall asleep, Christine. I'd love to hear you sing, but I'm afraid that I would fall asleep before you even begin to sing."

"Well then, I'll give you your medicine that the doctor left for you. He said that you needed to take it twice a day for the next two weeks."

Christine left the room and brought back a cup. The liquid inside of it tasted like sulfur, but I quickly swallowed it and closed my eyes.

"Here, this will help you breathe easier…"

Christine removed my mask and placed it on the night table. She brushed her finger against my twisted cheek and smiled…smiled! Once, she had been afraid of my twisted face, but she was smiling now. Oh, what had I ever done to deserve her? She was absolutely perfect.

"Christine, you should sleep," I began. "You spent the night by my side. You must be tired?"

"I…I am, but you need me."

"You needn't watch me while I sleep. No, please, close your eyes and get your rest."

With that, I closed my eyes and drifted away, hoping that in the morning, I would feel better. The night was hot and filled with terror, for my dreams were anything but pleasant. Nightmares of my master raping me replayed within my mind, causing me to wake and gasp for air. I was alone, for Christine was no longer sitting at my side. I pulled myself into a sitting position and grasped my aching chest. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to sleep any longer, I reached over and lit a candle. From there, I pulled out one of my many books and opened it. Reading always calmed my nerves and I hoped that it would do just that tonight.

Soon, my eyes became heavy and I was losing grasp on my book.

"Erik?"

The moment I heard her voice, I jolted awake.

"I'm sorry, Erik… I didn't mean to wake you. I…I was out on the couch and noticed that a light was on in your room. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right."

"I'm all right…I…I couldn't sleep."

Christine was dressed in her night attire and approached me.

"I was reading… I…I was hoping that it would put me to sleep."

"Was it working?"

"Until you walked in."

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure that you weren't in danger. My worst nightmare is finding you on the floor. You don't have to use the toilet do you?"

I placed down my book and nodded. "As a matter of fact, I do. I've been holding it for a few hours now. I didn't know what to do."

"You should have called me in."

I began to push back the blankets when I noticed that I was completely naked.

I wrapped the sheet around my waist and Christine helped me to my feet. Oh, how it hurt, but I needed to relieve my bladder. Christine held onto me every step of the way and when we were in the bathroom, she sat me down on the toilet.

"I'll turn my back if you wish?"

"Yes, please…"

Please wasn't usually in my vocabulary, but this woman was being so kind to me. No one ever treated me as kind as she had, which was one reason why I always tried to be on my best behavior when I was around her. When I was finished, she helped me back to bed and fluffed up my pillows.

"I think I'll be all right now, Christine…"

Christine nodded and watched as I picked up my book again.

"W…What are you reading?"

I looked at the leather bound cover before looking back at her.

"Poetry… There are some beautiful words in this world after all. To think that a hideous monster such as myself could find salvation in reading beautiful poetry?"

"You're not hideous, Erik…"

The moment Christine sat on my bed, Toby walked in and jumped up as well. He settled down at my feet and placed his head on my legs. I groaned at first, and when Christine noticed how uncomfortable I was, she shooed the animal away.

"He was asleep in the living room… All the commotion must have woken him."

"You know," Christine began. "I…I never learned how to read. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I ended up here."

"All that time alone and you never taught yourself how to read?"

Christine looked down at her feet and shook her head. I patted the empty space beside me and spotted her moving closer to me.

"Christine, if you wish to read, I could teach you?"

"I can't ask that of you…"

"And why not? I'm going to be bedridden for the next few weeks. I have all the time in the world to teach you how to read."

"If you insist, ange…"

"I do… We will start tomorrow."

"Could you read to me now?"

I nodded and opened my book to a random poem. I was about to open my mouth, when my chest began to hurt. Perhaps reading to her wasn't the greatest idea in the world.

"I'd love to read to you, Christine, but for now, perhaps silent reading is for the best."

"I'll…I'll retire to the couch then." She pouted.

"Do…Don't go," I begged. "Stay here with me. It would help me sleep."

With that, I placed the book down and closed my eyes. Christine snuggled up beside me and blew out the flame of my candle. With darkness and her warmth beside me, I was finally able to relax.

"Christine...W…When I'm feeling better, would you like to walk with me?"

"Are you courting me, Erik?"

I swallowed hard, for I was trying to get close to her. We had been forced to marry one another, and yes, she could have any man she wanted, but she was staying faithful to me.

"Y…Yes, I…I am."

"Why do you seem so nervous? We're already married… Courting should be the easy part."

"It's not… Oh, Christine it's not. It's been the hardest thing I ever had to do. But I'm trying, really I am. I don't want this marriage to be one filled with nervousness and fear. I really want to be companions…"

"And we are… Through sickness and in health, right, Erik?"

"Truly?"

"Forever…"

Fresh tears began to fall down my cheeks as I turned to face her in the dark.

"Forgive me," I begged. "Forgive me for ever leaving you like I did. All I ever wanted was to be beside you, Christine. I thought that I wasn't good enough for you. That's why I left. You were afraid of my face, and it would have killed me to see you happy with another man."

"Shhh… don't talk now, Erik. Rest… I'm here and I'm not going anywhere…Not now, not ever."

"W…Will you sing to me?"

"Of course…I will do whatever it takes to help you sleep."

I closed my eyes and began to hear her beautiful voice. It filled my heart with joy and numbed my pain, if only for the moment.

"_You are music, beautiful music, and you are light to me…"_

Oh, how I loved that song! I wasn't sure if she made it up or heard it from someone else, but it was absolutely beautiful.

"_You are music, beautiful music and you are light to me…"_

When Christine was finished, she snuggled up beside my arm and sighed. She seemed to be happy, but I wasn't sure. I hoped that she was happy, for that's all I ever wanted for her.

"Erik, tomorrow, I will make you breakfast. Is there anything that you want?"

"Anything, Christine," I cooed. "Anything that you wish to make me…"

Christine began to hum that beautiful tune once more and from there, I began to drift off to sleep. Christine, she was music, beautiful music and she was pure light to me. I loved her and when I felt better, I would start to show it, for she was all that I would ever want or need…My angel, my wife, my Christine.

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**Well, hopefully some happy chapters now. I swear it shall get better folks... They just need to get out of this country... Please review!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Christine's POV**

I immediately panicked the moment I woke and noticed that Erik was not lying beside me. Had the Shah sent for his men to fetch him? I wasn't sure, but I was worried sick.

"Erik!"

I threw on my clothes and hurried to the family room calling his name. Though, when I arrived, a voice that I was not familiar with greeted me.

"I believe you are supposed to refer to your husband as "master."

I was grabbed from behind by one of the Shah's guards. I wanted to scream, but his hand was over my mouth. He dragged me down the hall like a savage, all the way to the royal court. Inside, the first thing I noticed was my angel… He was standing before the Shah's throne, my papa's violin in hand. He was playing for him and his mother, but he could barely stand. The Shah was a cruel and selfish man, one that never cared about the feelings of others. My husband was messing up every note, and I knew it wasn't on purpose… I knew that he was in agony and he couldn't concentrate. A few seconds later, my angel fell over and the boisterous music came to a screeching halt.

"No…"

I broke away from the guard and went rushing over to my husband. He was feverish again and barely conscious.

"Ah, so the little dove has feelings for her master after all."

When I heard the Shah's taunting voice, I looked up at him.

"My master is ill, why would you bring him down here?"

"To entertain my mother and I, of course. Since he has killed my mother's main source of entertainment, it is now his job to entertain her whenever she wishes to be entertained. This morning, she wanted to hear music."

"He will die without rest," I cried. "He could barely move last night. Erik needs his rest!"

"Erik?" the Shah questioned. "You are stepping out of place, young snake…"

Erik groaned and opened his eyes. The Shah snapped his fingers and a guard stood him up.

"Erik, your little dove has just stepped out of line. You see, she has called you by your first name… That is forbidden. Have you been allowing her to call you by your name?"

Erik looked at me with weak eyes and shook his head. "O…Of course not, your highness. It just slipped, that is all."

"Now I know that this is not the first time your slave has slipped. Have you been punishing her for it?"

"I…I don't believe in violence, your highness."

"And why not? It will keep them in line! When you wish for an animal to do something, you hit them. The same goes for a human being. She has called you by your name and that is strictly forbidden. I believe that punishment is in order."

"I…I…I will take that into consideration, your highness."

The Shah looked down at his fingers and smiled.

"I want you to punish her now…"

"Now? I do not punish my slaves in public."

"Right, because you don't punish them at all. You allow them to walk all over you. Hit her…Hit your slave."

I looked at Erik and he looked at me. His mismatched eyes were so gentle and I knew that he would never allow himself to hit me.

"Well? I'm waiting… Raise your hand and teach your slave a lesson."

"No, your highness, I will not strike this girl."

"Strike her, or I will have her taken out back and whipped until there is not a patch of beautiful flesh left. If you can't control your slave, I'll take control of her."

Erik's eyes pleaded with me, as if he were trying to say "sorry." If there was one thing I didn't want, it was to be taken outback and whipped.

"Erik of Egypt, you have five seconds to make up your mind," The Shah snarled. "Otherwise, I'm going to make my decision."

And then, before I had the chance to say anything, Erik's hand landed right across my face. It hurt…Oh, how the slap hurt me, but I believed it hurt Erik even more. I grasped my cheek as fresh tears rushed to my eyes and Erik looked down at the hand that had struck me.

"That's how you do it," The Shah chuckled. "Nice and firm…Now, before you return, I need to have a word with you."

I was sent away, sent away as if I were nothing more than a worthless slave. When I was back in Erik's flat, I sobbed into my hands and dropped to my knees. I didn't want to continue living here any longer… I wanted to break away from this hell and go back to the way things used to be. I wanted to be back in Paris, I wanted to be back with my Papa and my puppy Toby. I wanted to be traveling the world with him in his caravan. Erik had become my world, my obsession and my one love, but at the same time, there was never a love stronger than the one I had for my papa.

"Father once told me that he would send me the angel of music," I cried. "My father promised me…My father promised me. And yet, in this world, I am alone with the devil."

Toby sighed and crawled into my lap. This took away all my sorrow, for the dog was way too big to sit in my lap, but he did so anyway. Toby always knew how to make me smile, and he was doing it now.

"Erik does not know what he does," I cried, burying my head into his white fur. "He's only trying to protect me… He would never hit me because he wanted to…He…He never hit me before."

**Erik's POV**

"Ah, so here it is!" The Shah cried once we were sat in his personal office. I was having a hard time staying awake, but the man didn't seem to care, for he placed a few blue prints in front of me. At first, I had a hard time examining them due to the fact that I was exhausted and disoriented, but when I finally noticed that the drawings were of, my heart ceased within my chest. These drawings were not another project to extend the palace, they were drawings of torture chambers! Ones that would cause death and destruction to the city.

"So, do you like them?" he questioned. "I had my best designer come up with the plans. Now, I just need you to build them. Below the palace would be perfect…My own little world of torture!"

"Most of these chambers would cause painful deaths," I said, gazing down at one that was a room with sharp knives sticking from the walls. "Who are you planning on using these on?"

"Why the scum of Persia, of course! Thieves that dare to steal food and jewels from me! Children that dare laugh at my men! This would teach every man, woman and child a lesson! I am the sun and the rising moon of Persia and I will be feared!"

"Children are innocent, your highness… They….They don't know what they do."

The Shah grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me close to his face. "Are you questioning me? Because questioning the Shah is a crime. You will build me my torture chambers, or else, I will find someone who can, and use you and your precious slave girl as the first victims."

The Shah let me go and shoved me back into my chair.

"I will pay you handsomely for it…"

"My injuries, your highness… I…I wouldn't be able to start until I am better."

"Next Monday you will start. Until then, I shall promise to leave you to your rest."

If there was anything I didn't want to do, it was build torture chambers that would hurt women, men and children, but I knew with the money, I could smuggle Christine out of Persia. She didn't deserve to live this life, and so, I would see to it that she escaped. I had struck her… How could I even continue living when these very hands had struck the purest of angels? It wasn't like I wanted to do it… All I wanted to do was save her from being whipped. It look me longer than usual to walk through the halls that would lead me to my flat, but along the way, I saw a few beautiful flowers growing out in the palace's garden and stopped to pick a white one. It wasn't enough to gain her forgiveness, but it would be a start.

When I arrived at our front door, I took a breath and entered, expecting to find her on the floor in tears, but instead, the flat seemed empty. I looked around in silence, finally finding her sitting on the balcony of our flat. The French doors were open and when I peeked out, she was sitting on the stone bench and facing the city. Toby was seated beside her and she was talking to him.

"He's the Devil, Toby… How could he do such a thing?"

I looked down at the beautiful flower and placed it on the window ledge. I knew she didn't wish to speak with me, therefore, I made my point to leave.

"Master?"

I stopped the moment I heard her call me that horrible name.

"Please," I pleaded. "Don't call me that…Not here, not now…"

When I finally found the courage to spin around, I wanted to hurt myself, for her face was now bruised because of what I had done.

"I'm sorry….So, so sorry, Christine. I…I…"

Christine placed her finger at my lip to silence me.

"Don't bring it up, Erik… Please don't bring up what happened this morning."

I frantically grabbed her hand and curled her fingers into a fist. From there, I removed my mask and tossed it aside.

"Hit me, Christine…God, hit me as hard as you can. Hit me several times if you must, but do it, so that you do not have to walk around looking bruised alone. I want to feel every ounce of pain that I have bestowed upon you…Hit me now!"

I closed my eyes and tried to erase the image of her hideous bruise from my mind. Not only that, but I was trying to ready myself for the pain I would feel. But suddenly, instead of feeling her fist against my cheek, I felt something wet press itself against my malformed lips. I suddenly backed away and opened my eyes in shock, for pressed against my lips were her own!

"C…Christine…"

"Did you not like it?" she cried. "Do you not like me?"

"No…I mean…Yes, of course I do, but why?"

"Because there is more to a marriage than friendship. I know that you only hit me in order to save me from the Shah's wrath. You have been a gentleman to me, Erik, and I wouldn't expect anything less of you."

I touched my lips with my finger and sighed, for it had been my first kiss.

"There may be more, Christine, but not for me…Not for this hideous monster."

"There is," she assured, closing the space between us. "And tomorrow, if you agree to take me out, I will show you…"

When her hand caressed my cheek, I sighed, for I did not deserve this kindness.

"Forgive me?" I begged. "Forgive me for ever striking you… It was my fault, Christine. I should have taken the punishment."

"But the Shah was not threatening to hurt you, he was threatening to hurt me and you did what you thought was right. I have already forgiven you, ange…"

I became weak in the knees from my wounds and Christine immediately caught me. Once back in bed, she tucked me in and made sure that I was comfortable. I expected her to leave, but she stayed by my side like a wife who was worried sick about her husband… Perhaps one day we would both feel unconditional love towards one another…Someday, somehow, I knew I would die without her.

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**I think it's the next chapter that you all will love. Though, this chapter was mighty cute. Please review!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Erik's POV**

I couldn't sleep that night. No matter how many hours I lay there, I couldn't find the strength within me to sleep. Christine was sound asleep beside me and deciding not to disturb her, I made my way out to the kitchen and started breakfast. Christine had been staying here with me for a few weeks now, and yes, she had cooked for me, but I had never cooked for her. After cooking some eggs and meat, I took a seat at the table and began to slowly eat my breakfast.

"Erik?"

I stopped chewing the moment I heard her voice. My back was facing her, making it impossible for her to see my face, but why was she up? It was still extremely early…

"Did I wake you?"

"No…I…I woke and noticed that you weren't lying beside me. Why are you up?"

"I couldn't sleep. I…I left you breakfast on the stove."

When Christine passed me, I put my head down so she couldn't see my face. She walked right over to the stove and began to make up a plate for herself.

"It smells great."

I stayed silent and watched as she placed her plate down beside my own and smiled.

"You're in my spot..."

"What?"

"You," she chuckled. "You're in my spot. The master of the house is supposed to sit at the end of the table."

"It's all right," I said. "Y…You can sit there."

But Christine wouldn't have it. She took my cup of tea and my plate and moved it to the end of the table. Oh, I couldn't sit there… No, there was a mirror hanging on the wall and if I sat at the end of the table, I would have to gaze at my face.

"There," Christine said, taking a seat in my previous chair. "Now this is how it's supposed to be."

My body began to shake as I looked at Christine, only to see my reflection in the mirror. Oh, I was hideous and I couldn't stand the mere sight of me. I tolerated it at first, but after a few moments, I found my stomach beginning to churn.

"What's wrong?"

When I heard her concerned voice, I looked away. She must have noticed, for a few seconds later, she was turning around to spot the mirror.

"Oh, Erik…I'm sorry. I…I didn't know."

I excused myself from the table and rushed into the bathroom to splash some water on my face. Oh, how I hated my appearance. It was horrible and churned my poor stomach to no end.

"I…I ruined breakfast."

I heard her soft voice and felt her hand against my back.

"You didn't know…Oh, Christine, how can you stand to look at me? I can't even stand it… Why was I born?"

"It's just a face, Erik…It doesn't decide who you are as a person. You're simply amazing…"

With that, Christine left the bathroom to give me my privacy. I needed to do something nice for her… This woman was truly amazing and I wanted to spend every waking moment with her. I dried my face and composed myself before hurrying back into the kitchen.

"Christine, do you…that is, do you want to spend the day with me? I have a wonderful idea, and I believe you would approve."

Christine blushed. "Are you truly courting me?"

"Um…Yes, Christine. If it's embarrassing, then I shall deny it."

"No, I would love to spend the day with you. Let me get dressed and we shall be off."

When Christine was gone, I did my own secret dance of happiness. Oh, I needed to hurry in order to get ready. A picnic in the palace gardens! Yes, it would be perfect! I quickly rummaged for my basket and began placing some food and a bottle of wine inside of it. Oh, today would be a perfect day! I could show her the palace and we could spend time together…just us two! Yes, everything had to be perfect. I was so nervous… When we were finally ready to leave, my shaky hands took the heavy basket and we walked through the hot palace to reach the spacious gardens.

"I…I have to start work again on Monday," I began, breaking the awkward silence between us. "The Shah has me working on something important for him."

"Oh, more extensions on the palace?"

"Um…Something like that," I lied, knowing that I could never tell her the truth about the torture chambers. "It shouldn't take long, but the Shah has promised me that he will reward me handsomely for my work."

"Enough to leave this horrid place?" she asked.

I paused, and then, she laughed. "I'm joking, Erik… I know that we could never leave. Once a prisoner, always a prisoner."

But Christine was wrong. She didn't know what I had planned for her… I would get her away from Persia, even if it killed me. I knew there would come a day when I would have to leave her, and it would be the worst day of my life.

"Here we are…"

The sun was blistering hot, but out in the gardens, there was a spot that had a strange fountain of some sort…Perhaps it was a sculpture of an elephant…Maybe not. No, the Shah most likely had it built for some sanctuary from the blistering sun. Not that he came outside often…. The sculpture was big enough to where it surrounded certain areas of the stone walkway with shade and a cool mist of water. I set up our blanket beneath one of the spots and was happy to find that we were the only ones out in the garden.

"You'd think that everyone who resides in the palace would want to come out and gaze at such beauty…" Christine sighed. "If I owned a home, I would be outside every day."

"The sun is too hot," I began. "But at least when you're out here, there is some relief."

I brought out two wine glasses and filled them with the red wine I had brought along. Christine's eyes lit up in amazement as she turned her head to the side to read the writing that was printed on the bottle.

"Erik, where ever did you find such a fine brand of wine? Surely not at the bazaar?"

I stopped pouring the wine and thought about what I was going to say next. No, the bazaar did not offer such a fine brand of wine, due to the fact that it would have been way too expensive for a peasant to afford. No, this very bottle came from the Shah's personal stash. For weeks I had been borrowing his fine food and liquor for my own enjoyment. It wasn't like he would notice anything being gone anyway… The man never stepped foot into his wine cellar, nor his pantry. Everything was always handed to him on a silver platter…

"I work for the Shah, Christine," I began. "Therefore, I shouldn't have to eat like a peasant. Whatever the Shah eats and drinks, I feel that I have a right to it as well. I've been borrowing from him…"

"You mean stealing!" she gasped. "Erik, you can't… If the Shah ever finds out that you're drinking his wine and eating his food, he'll punish you for it. I…I don't know what he would do to someone who's been stealing his best bottles of wine."

"You shouldn't worry about such things," I snapped. "I wouldn't do it if I felt it to be too dangerous."

There was an awkward silence, and then, I felt Christine's hand reach out to touch my caved in chest. I pressed my eyes closed and pulled away.

"Don't…"

"He's hurting you, Erik… Every time I see him walking through the palace, he's wearing your ribs around his neck and it sickens me. I don't want to see anything else that belongs to you hanging from his neck or ankles."

"Enough…Please, all I ask is that we drop the subject and enjoy our time together. I…I already ruined breakfast. I would hate to ruin any other part of this day."

For the remainder of our picnic, I chose my words more carefully, knowing that Christine felt uncomfortable eating lunch because of where the food had come from. During the day, a few passer bys would come and go in the gardens… A few of them gazing at my masked face. It made me uncomfortable, but I ignored them. I played for Christine on her father's violin, an action that caused her to sigh in happiness. Happiness! It made my body grow weak, for seeing that smile across her face as I played was enough to send my heart fleeting with pure joy.

"You've become so experienced…" she said after my song ended. "You truly are wonderful. If my papa were here, he would have thought the same."

"I would never want to give your father a run for his money."

"I believe you are even better than he was, my Erik."

"If you say so…"

It was growing dark now, for the once bright orange sky was turning purple and dark. I put away our dishes we had used for lunch and knew that this picnic was going to have to end soon.

"I'm afraid that we shall have to continue this day indoors, Christine."

I was about to pack away the violin, when Christine stopped me.

"Wait…Play one more song for me, Erik," she begged. "Just one more."

Knowing that I couldn't deny her anything, I began to play once more. Though, as soon as my song began, it ended, for Christine crawled into my lap and blocked any access to my violin. Her forehead was against my own now, and she had pulled away my mask! No…Not out in public!

"Christine…"

"Shhh…It's all right," she cooed. "It's dark, and we're alone."

"W…What are you doing?"

Oh, I was stuttering now with nervousness, for I wasn't used to psychical contact with anyone.

"Kiss me, my husband…" she whispered. "Kiss me like a husband would kiss their wife."

But I couldn't, for I didn't know how.

"I'm…I'm sorry."

I wanted to move away, but Christine wouldn't allow me to do so. No, she took control and pressed her lips against my own once more. I sighed, for I never felt so happy in my entire life! This is what I had always wanted…

"Christine…"

My lips allowed her name to seductively slip by, an action I shouldn't have allowed, for the next thing I felt was her fingers latching onto the buttons of my trousers. Suddenly, flashbacks of my master began to play out within my mind, memories of him ripping my trousers from my body and having his way with me. Pain! The pain I felt…the blood…No!

My hands immediately wrapped themselves around her wrists and I jumped to my feet. But this wasn't my master…Everything seemed to slow down now, and I could hear her cries for me to let her wrists go.

"Erik…" she cried. "You're hurting me…I…I only wanted to…"

"To what?" I sobbed. "You only wanted to do what?! Hurt me?"

"What? Of course not…I…I would never want to hurt you."

"You want to do what HE did to me, don't you? You want to have your way with me and make me bleed all over again…"

"Erik...W…What are you talking about?"

"That's all anyone ever wants to do is hurt me…Why? Why, Christine? Why couldn't you just be happy with kissing me? Why do you want to hurt me?!"

Christine was trying to plead with me, but all I could see was my master and his evil grin…I couldn't stay here any longer… No, I quickly gathered up my violin and went dashing through the halls of the palace. I had promised myself long ago that I would never allow anyone to hurt me like my master had, and I would keep that promise… Christine would never hurt me…

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**Whoo Hoo! 401 reviews! Thanks everyone... Well, some fluff. We're getting closer. Let's just see if Christine can't knock some sense into that head of his. Stay tuned! Oh, and thanks again for the ideas for my new story. I wrote the first chapter yesterday and I love it already. I tried to take a little of everyone's ideas. So far, it's going to be about Erik running the opera house from behind the curtain. He's the brains and Nadir is the face. Whatever Erik tells Nadir to do, he makes sure that it's done. Christine made a promise to her dying father long ago that she would go to the Paris Opera House when she was of age. Feeling sorry for her, Nadir hires Christine as the "Owners" housekeeper. And that's what I have so far. Crappy review, but once I post the story in a few weeks, the synopsis will be better. Happy reading everyone!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Christine's POV**

Seeing Erik run from my mere touch broke my heart more than anything in the world. All I wanted to do was act like a true married couple and it repulsed him. I couldn't help but sob as I headed back through the halls and corridors of the palace to reach Erik's flat…

"Christine?"

I heard a frantic voice, only to come face to face with Nadir Khan. I had only met him on a few occasions, and Erik didn't seem to trust him.

"Christine, what are you doing out here all alone? It's late, and if the palace guards find you out here, they will tell the Shah. You're a slave, and slaves are not to be out of their master's sight."

"And are you not a guard?" I cried. "Well, go on then…I'm guilty. Take me in and have me punished."

I held out my arms to the man, but he pushed them away.

"Come, I shall escort you home."

"Erik's flat isn't a home, Monsieur Khan, at least not for me."

"What do you mean?"

I wiped away my tears, but more came rushing down my cheeks.

"Today," I cried. "Today, Erik took me on a picnic to the palace gardens. We spent the entire day together and it was one of the best days of my life. I…I thought he was coming to terms with our marriage…I thought…I thought that he finally wanted to be like husband and wife. I tried to allow him to have his way with me, but he pushed me away and went running off. He thinks that I'm going to hurt him…."

"Your master…I…I haven't known him long, but I know that there has been some cruel moments in his life. He just doesn't know any better, Christine. Don't think that he has been denying you because of hate, because I know deep down that he loves you in his own way."

"Right, but his own way of loving me is to keep his distance. I…I don't want a long distance relationship, Monsieur Khan. Erik and I have been sleeping in the same bed every night, and yet, we've only kissed one another. I want more…"

"As would any woman," he reminded me.

"I…I think I'm going to ask for some help from the Shah…"

"No… You must not ask for any help from that man," Nadir growled. "It would be fatal if you did so."

"But if I told the Shah, perhaps he would force Erik to my bed…"

"Christine, the Shah is not an understanding man. He would most likely take you to his bed, and then, he would punish Erik. I know you do not want to cause your master any more pain. Instead, why won't you allow me to speak with him? It's better than getting the Shah involved."

When we arrived at Erik's flat, we entered to find a dark realm. It was silent…Too silent for my liking.

"Go into the other room, Christine," Nadir replied. "I'll go search for Erik and speak with him."

**Erik's POV**

After running away from Christine, I barricaded myself in the bedroom closet. In my hand, I held a small knife… But why? It wasn't like Christine was going to come in here and force herself on me. But at the same time, all I could think about was my master and what he had done to me. He was dead! Why was I still seeing his face and believing that he was after me? When I heard approaching footsteps, I pressed my eyes closed as my heart began to race within my chest.

"Erik, you need to come out at once…"

The door to the closet was now open and Nadir was standing before me with his arms crossed over his chest. To him, he most likely believed that I was being foolish, but he didn't know what I had once gone through.

"Go away…" I cried. "Leave me…"

The man snatched the knife from my hand and pulled me to my feet. My fists began to fly, but he pushed me down onto my bed.

"You could have caused Christine a lot of agony tonight, Erik. You ran away and left her wandering the halls on her own. If I didn't find her, who knows what would have happened. You are being a selfish man."

"You don't know what she did to me, Khan! You don't know what she did…"

"No, I don't know what she did, Erik! But, after speaking with her, it sounded as though she wanted you to take her to your bed."

"No…" I dropped to the floor and covered my head with my hands. "No…No, no, no… Not again, Khan. No more pain…"

"Erik, what are you talking about?"

I looked up and wiped my eyes through my white mask.

"T…The man I killed," I began. "He…He took me to his bed when I was a child. Why do they do it, Khan? Why would anyone go to bed with someone? It hurts so much… There were nights when I would beg him to stop, but he would only hurt me worse than I already was. Why you? Why did you take your wife to bed?"

"Erik…" Nadir stopped and thought about his next choice of words. "Erik, you don't understand."

"I believe I do… Why would Christine want to hurt me, Khan?"

Nadir took a seat at my side and ran his fingers through his wisps of raven hair.

"Erik, I'm sorry…I…I wouldn't have taken you to that whore house that night if I would have known. I…I didn't know that you've never…I'm sorry."

And then, the man stood and approached the door.

"What kind of life have you known?"

And then, the man left me alone… Confused and horrified, I tore off my mask and buried my face deep into my hands. Sometimes I believed that there wasn't any salvation left for this hideous beast, who only dreams on love.

**Christine's POV**

"He doesn't know," Nadir said as he walked towards the front door to Erik's home. "He doesn't know, Christine."

"Doesn't know what?"

"He doesn't know the difference between pain and pleasure. He believes that he will feel the same pain he felt when his master took advantage of him. I can't bear to stay another moment… That man is broken, and I don't know if anyone will ever be able to fix him."

"I want to fix him, Monsieur Khan."

Nadir smiled and tipped his hat. "Good evening, Christine… I hope that the God's smile on you tonight."

Deciding to give Erik his privacy, I fell asleep on the sofa. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep I had ever had, but I knew staying away from Erik for the time being was for the best. When I awoke, the flat was still in silence, making me wonder if Erik was truly asleep. Deciding to find out, I stretched and rose to my feet, walking through the few hallways that we had in the flat. When I noticed a light coming from Erik's office, I crept to the door to find that he was indeed there… He had a few candles burning on his desk, his body hunched over his work. I slowly entered and approached his body, noticing that he was in what seemed to be a deep slumber. His body slowly rose and fell to his steady breathing, his arm slouched over the end of the desk. I began to think about what Nadir had told me… He didn't know the difference between pain and pleasure. I wasn't experienced at all in the art of love making, for I had yet to do so. Though, before Madeline died, she had told me about it…She didn't get into graphic detail about such a thing, but she sat me down like a mother would with her daughter and explained it to me. Hadn't anyone done the same with Erik? Why did he think that it would bring him pain?

I was pulled from the thoughts, when I noticed that he seemed to be moaning in his sleep. His body looked to be in so much pain, therefore, I reached out and placed the palms of my hands against his achy shoulders. Very gently, I began to massage them… At first, he took in a sharp breath of air, making me believe that I was hurting him. But after a few moments, that sharp intake of air turned into mini sighs.

"C…Christine?"

When I heard him softly call my name, I moved my hand to his mask, causing everything to come to an abrupt halt, for the next thing I knew, he was on his feet and waving his arms around as if he were being attacked.

"Erik…stop, stop! It's me…just me…"

He paused and let go of my wrist before sinking himself back down into his chair.

"Y…You should know better than to touch me when I'm sleeping. It would kill me to hurt you, Christine."

With that being said, he turned himself back around and began to work on his documents again as if nothing had ever happened.

"Erik, c…could I speak with you?"

"I thought we were speaking?"

"D…Do I repulse you?"

"Of course not," he growled, his hand fluttering across his parchment.

"Then why did you push me away tonight when I reached for your trousers? Why do you think I am going to hurt you? It won't hurt…If that's what you're so afraid of, I can promise you that it won't hurt."

I knew I had aggravated him, for he covered his ears with his hands and shook his head.

"Enough!"

"But it won't! Your mother told me that it would feel breathtaking and that it was what married couples did to show each other how much they love one another. Do you not love me?"

"Stop! Please…"

"Only if you say you do not love me will I stop. I want what other married couples have… You never touch me, Erik. You keep your distance from me, and it kills me. And don't sit here and tell me that you don't know how to love me, because I know you do. You're the smartest man I know…"

"I don't…" he sobbed. "Oh, I don't…"

"You've had to have touched yourself before for your own pleasure. Madeline told me that men do it….They need it more than women do."

"Never…" he cringed. "Never…I…I never needed to."

And then I began to cry, for the truth was out… He didn't find me attractive, for if he did, he would be burning for me. Just the simplest touch from me would make his body scream with want, but no…

"Christine, why? Why do you cry?"

"Because," I sobbed. "You don't want me…I'm not pretty enough to…to…"

I couldn't even finish my sentence, for I went running to my room and slammed the door closed.

"Christine, please….Don't…Don't do this to me…"

**Erik's POV**

Not pretty enough? Christine was the definition of beautiful. But what did she mean? What did she mean when she told me that she wasn't pretty enough? Wasn't pretty enough to do what? It hurt me deep inside, for I loved this girl… She had been the only one who could look past my face and smile. She smiled, for Christ sake! She laughs when she is around me, she makes me feel like I never had before…But why? Why was I making her cry? I didn't deserve her, and I knew that I never would. But she wanted something from me… She wanted me to surrender my body to her so that she could feel what other married couples felt. I didn't want anything to do with it, but for her, I would… If this is what Christine truly wanted, then I would grant her this one wish. But how? How was I going to get through it without seeing my master? Tomorrow was simply another day…

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**Poor Poor Erik... Well, maybe he will come to his senses in the next chapter! Please review!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Erik's POV**

I felt terrible the following morning, so terrible that I couldn't even show my face to her. I stayed locked up in my personal office until I heard the front door slamming shut, only then did I emerge and find that Christine had left me a note. It stated that she and a few of the other slave girls were going into town to do some shopping. Wanting to do something nice for her, I decided upon a makeup dinner. It had to be perfect! The entire day I was supposed to be resting, but instead, I cooked. Never in my life had I ever cooked so hard before. There would be food, wine, music, and dessert! It had to scream "I'm sorry," all over. I knew that Christine would be returning by nightfall, therefore, when everything was set up, I hurried to the bathroom to wash up and change.

God, I was so hideous, but a white shirt and black vest hid my deformed body as much as one could. With my shirt tucked neatly into my trousers, I headed back to the kitchen just as I heard the door opening. Oh, this was it! I took a deep breath to prepare myself for what was to come, finding Christine walking through the door with a handful of items from the bazaar.

"Here," I instantly came forward and relieved her arms of the heavy items. "I'll help you."

When she could finally see me, her eyes lit up as if she were standing before a handsome prince.

"Erik, you…you look dashing tonight."

The mere words melted my heart. No one had ever complimented me on my appearance before. I was so worried that she would think me to be hideous, but instead, she thought I looked handsome. Handsome! That word was never used to describe me before.

"T…Thank you, Christine," I nervously replied. "Though, your beauty can never be matched, for it is like the one of a desert rose."

The moment was becoming awkward, therefore, I turned to put away the bread and cheese she had purchased at the bazaar.

"You know, a desert rose can take up to ten years to bloom? It takes its time, I guess…Though, beauty cannot be finished in a single day, I'm guessing…"

"Never…"

I had to face her now…I had to tell her that I was sorry and that I had made her dinner as an apology.

"Right…" I began. "So, dinner…I…I made dinner for you, Christine. Why don't you go change into something more comfortable and I'll get dinner situated?"

Christine seemed to smile a little as she nodded and headed to our bedroom. I knew that she was still upset over what had taken place the night before, but this was most certainly a start. When she was gone, I hurried and lit a few candles before turning on the phonograph my room had come with. It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now…

"Oh, please let her accept this apology," I silently pleaded as I placed our meal down on the table. I would have loved to have dinner out on my balcony, but the rainy season was upon us, and there was no telling when a storm would start.

"It smells wonderful…"

When I heard Christine's voice, I spun around to find her dressed in a beautiful blue robe. It was strange, for the first time in my life, I felt some sort of burning sensation in the pit of my stomach. It was a feeling I had never felt before. Soon, my legs became weak, and I was finding it hard to breathe…

"Christine…" I choked her name as she approached me, her chocolate curls down and bouncing upon her shoulders. I had never seen her like this before.

"There, I'm much more comfortable now…"

"Good, let's eat then…"

I pulled Christine's chair out and helped her sit. She seemed to like this action, for she thanked me and smiled as I gently pushed her in.

"Erik, are you all right? You seem as though you're a bit nervous."

"Nervous?" I choked. "No, Christine, I'm perfectly well, thank you."

It was a lie, for I was everything, including nervous. I wasn't sure how to act around a woman, but I seemed to be doing a good job at it. As long as Christine was smiling, that's all that mattered to me.

"I…I do hope that you take this dinner as a form of an apology for what I had done yesterday…I shouldn't have left you all alone out in the garden. It was selfish of me, and it could have cost you your life. I…I promise that I will never put my own needs before you again, Christine. Please say that you can forgive your master for being so foolish?"

Christine had been drinking from her glass, but paused the moment I said those exact words.

"I…Is there anything else that you are apologizing for?" she questioned.

"Like what? Should there be anything more?"

She pressed her eyes closed as if I had said something wrong and shook her head.

"No…Nothing…"

I knew she was lying. I knew that she was hoping for something more, but I couldn't apologize for something I didn't have any idea about.

"I guess that you were expecting me to apologize to you for the way I acted last night? You wanted me to tell you that I was sorry for pushing you away…"

"Erik, I don't want to argue. I…I just want to enjoy this meal with you tonight. Can we do that?"

"You wish to be one with me, when in reality, I don't have the slightest clue on how to give that to you, Christine. I would do anything for you…I…I would die for you if it came down to it. And yet, you're sitting before me, begging me for something that I've never done before. I'm sorry…I'll…I'll change the subject now."

But instead of changing the subject, we both sat there in an extremely uncomfortable silence.

"D…Do you like the music?" I stammered. "I know it's not the same as hearing it live, but…I thought that maybe it would lighten the mood?"

"Indeed it does," Christine replied as she looked down at her meal. She was so emotionless that it hurt me deep inside. I knew that she wanted me to take her to bed, but how? And why? I groaned and stabbed my fork into the piece of meat that was on my plate. There was anger deep within me, and it was beginning to stir! I had tried to control it for as long as I could, but it was becoming impossible. I had seen gypsy men in the past taking their women and dragging them into their caravans by the hair… Is that truly what Christine wanted?

"So, are we not going to speak anymore?" I growled.

Oh, she wasn't even answering me now! Suddenly, I snapped! I jolted up from the table, grabbed her arm and dragged her into the bedroom. She was pleading me to stop, but I was acting out on what I had seen other gypsies do. I threw her down onto our bed and jumped on top of her… I tore her dress and grabbed her arms…But what was I doing? I had ruined her beautiful robe… This wasn't how a husband would treat his wife… No, this was how a savage would treat a woman. My anger slowly began to slip away, and I maneuvered myself from her body and wallowed back to the table. I pulled off my mask and tossed it aside, drowning myself in the nearest bottle of wine.

"W…What is wrong with you?"

"Forgive me," I stammered. "Forgive me, Christine… I know not what I do."

"Your tore my robe and slammed me down on the bed. What is wrong with you, Erik?!"

"I don't deserve you! I don't deserve any part of you, Christine. I try to make you happy and I try to please you in every way that I can, but I can't help but fail you each and every time. I don't know what you want to do to me, but please, be my guest and do whatever you want to do to me."

I stood from my seat and leaned against the table. Oh, I was so ashamed with myself.

"Do you not want me?" she cried. "Do you not want to take me to bed? I just don't understand you, Erik… Every man would love to be in your position right now."

"Well then, let them take my place."

"Why would you say that? This is supposed to be something wonderful…"

"If…If you say so."

Silence surrounded us once more, all was silent except for the music that was playing on the phonograph.

"Erik, I know that it's supposed to be the man who asks, but seeing the circumstances, would you please dance with me?"

Knowing that this would take a lot off my mind, I nodded and led Christine to the family room where we would have some space. She wrapped her arms around me, and I did the same to her. From there, we swayed out bodies back and forth to the music. This was nice…A change from the anguish that I had been feeling. Soon, the slow music turned into a tango, one that Christine took advantage off. Soon, we were moving from side to side, her hips aligning with my own. My body began to feel strange…It was warmth and weakness all rolled into one. What was going on with me? Next thing I knew, her hands were slowly sliding down my arms and reaching my hips. Oh, something was most certainly happening to me…

"Ch…Christine, I feel…I feel strange." I broke away from her embrace and went rushing to the bathroom and slammed the door closed. I took a few breaths to maintain myself, but after these few breaths, I still noticed that I was feeling the same way. It was only when I felt pressure in my hips that I looked down and realized that my manhood was pressing against my trousers. I grasped the sink and wondered what was happening to me…I felt different… I didn't know what to do about it, nor was it going away.

"Dear God…" I groaned as I splashed some water onto my face in hopes of it helping me. "What's wrong with me?"

"Erik?"

When I heard Christine's voice, I cursed her beneath my breath to go away, but she came walking in.

"Erik, why did you run from me? We…We were doing great."

"We were?" I growled. "You're hurting me…"

"Hurting you?" she questioned. "Why would I be hurting you?"

Embarrassed, I pressed myself against her, and reached for her hand, bringing it down to my tight trousers. She gasped and at the same time, she smiled at me…

"Erik, I'm not hurting you… I promise."

"You're lying to me. How would you know what I'm feeling? Oh, Christine, it's not going away…Please, make it stop…"

Christine continued to smile and pressed her lips against my own, an action that only worsened the situation. My trousers were not getting looser, no, they were continuing to get tighter. The pressure was so hard and thick against my trousers now, that the fabric was pinching me.

"Christine…Oh, Christine it hurts. What are you doing to me?"

Christine broke away from the kiss and reached for the buttons of my trousers once again. I tried to gently grab her hand, but she stopped me.

"Erik, please trust me… I will make this pain stop, but you have to trust me. Please… I would never hurt you. You are my husband and I want to be your wife… Do you trust me?"

At last, I nodded, only to feel her take my hand and lead me out of the bathroom and towards our bedroom. I wasn't sure what awaited me, but for Christine, I would do this for her…I would trust her.

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**Gahhh I know, I left you all at a cliffy. Maybe if I get a lot or demand for the next chapter, I shall post it sooner than later. Thanks again, everyone!**


	35. Chapter 35

**AN: Hey everyone! Thanks again for reviewing. I was going to upload this in the morning, but since I've gotten very strong demands for this chapter, well, here it is. Warning, for those of you who don't want to read an erotic chapter please skip. This chapter is rated M, and I'm giving fair warning. My sex scenes aren't disgusting and over explicate because that sort of stuff just doesn't need to be described. I mean, I find explicate stuff just distasteful. Therefore, I write just enough to get what's going on. It makes the scene more likeable and readable. Anyway, please review! Ok...Here we go...DRUM ROLL PLEASE... **

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**Erik's POV**

Christine led me to our bedroom and gently sat me down on the mattress.

"Do you trust me, Erik?"

I nervously nodded, and allowed the woman to begin unbuttoning my shirt. My heart was pounding from within my chest as the fabric was removed from my shoulders. At first, Christine gazed at my malformed body, her fingers lightly tracing over a few of the lumpy scars I had crisscrossing over every patch of my flesh.

"What has the world done to you?" she shuddered.

I stayed silent and watched as she stood before me and allowed her robe to drop to her ankles. She was naked now… This was wrong, so, so wrong. I have known this girl my entire life, and yet, she was standing before me now completely naked. But she was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes upon. More warmth went shooting through my body and swelled into groin. My flesh was hot to the touch, and when she pressed her body against my own, my breathing intensified.

"Christine…W…What is happening to me? I'm losing control."

But this girl did not answer me… Instead, she gently pushed me on my back and began to kiss me. This kiss wasn't like any other we had have shared before. No, the kisses we had shared before were gentle and loving… These kisses, however, were rough and filled with lust. Never had I ever experienced something so…so…Oh, what was the word? I wasn't sure, but I was most certainly enjoying it.

"It's hurting me…" I broke our kiss and gazed up at the woman. The pressure in my trousers was becoming unbearable, especially when I felt her body pressing against me. "I…I need to stop."

"The pain will stop if you allow me to remove your trousers, Erik. Do you trust me?"

"With my life…"

Her hands slowly moved to my trousers and began to pull them down to my ankles. It hurt at first, especially when the fabric began to rub against my hardened core. Though, when I was finally free from any clothing, the pain began to fade away.

"Kiss me…" she begged. "Just kiss me, Erik."

I leaned on my elbows and bent up to kiss her like before. For some odd reason, a strange yet erotic sound escaped my lips, one that sent more warmth shooting towards my core. When I didn't dare touch her, Christine's hand reached out for my own and placed it against her left breast. God, what was happening to me… Never had I ever felt something so pure before. I had read in books that a woman's body was supposed to be the undoing of so many men, and I never understood why…until now. The woman groaned at my touch and begged me to continue stroking her chest. Everything was happening so quickly, and I could only wonder when the pain would start again.

"Erik, if I asked you to do something, would you do it?"

"W…What?"

"Here, give me your hand…"

Christine switched places with me and lay down on her back. From there, she leaned me over her beautiful body and placed my hand against her most sensitive area.

"What are you doing?" I gasped.

"Touch me…Please…"

Her mouth placed itself over my shoulder and began to kiss and lightly suck on my scars. God! I wanted to do this now… I wanted to touch her! I gasped and made that strange sound again, the sound that I couldn't help. My fingers nervously stroked her, Christine begging me to go faster. This was driving me insane! What was wrong with me? This was supposed to be painful, and yet, Christine was enjoying it! Perhaps it was only the man who felt the pain.

"Erik…Oh, Erik, don't stop…"

My hand worked on her as my lips came down around her neck. I wasn't sure why I wanted to kiss her neck, but oh, how it filled me with such want. My body was filled with a strange tingling, one that was driving me simply insane. Everything suddenly came to a standstill, when I felt her hand clasp itself around my hardened member. I stopped touching her and looked down at her hand. My member was throbbing around her palm…Never, had I ever felt such a feeling before. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next…Pain, perhaps. But as soon as she began to gently stroke me, pain was the last thing I felt.

"Christine…Christine, what…what…." I couldn't even finish my sentence, for she had hypnotized me with pure bliss! My hips began to thrust into her hand, matching with her strokes and it was sending me over the edge of something I had never felt before.

"Christine…don't stop…harder…faster…"

I gripped her hand and sighed as I continued to thrust my hips towards her. When she stopped, I wanted to curse her, but she smiled and pressed her lips to my own.

"No pain, Erik…" she cooed. "No pain…Never. Could I make us one now?"

"One?" I questioned.

"Trust me… I promise that it will feel good."

I nodded and allowed Christine to lay me on my back. From there, she crawled on top of me and began to insert me into her. I cringed, for the pleasure was breathtaking. I fisted the sheets and sighed as she did so. She seemed uncomfortable and when I tried to intervene, she stopped me, asking me to give her a few seconds. When her hips began to move, I found a pleasure I hadn't thought possible. I grasped her thighs and held her down on me as she thrust harder against me.

"Christine…Yes…Oh, harder, harder…"

I needed to move, I needed to move much faster. Soon, her lips met with my own and we began to roll around within my bed. With her now beneath me, I took control, not quite sure on what I was doing, but I seemed to be bringing her pleasure, for she was screaming for me…I took her hips into my hand and thrust deep into her body… I wasn't sure how long this extreme pleasure would last, but when I felt her walls squeeze around my member, I knew it wouldn't be for long. I took one final thrust, and then I felt as though I had been emptied…It was as if something had left me. I took a few breaths and plopped down beside her.

"Christine…That…That was…"

"Amazing…" she cooed, pressing a kiss to my sweaty neck. "You were wonderful."

Christine placed her hand against my chest, finding that there wasn't any part of my chest to rest it on. She gazed at my caved in abdomen, and then back at me.

"You deserve happiness," she cried. "Not this…Not this agony. I'm sorry, Erik. The Shah shouldn't have been able to touch you."

"What we just shared has made everything worth it. I…I never knew it could feel like this."

"There is more, mon ange…"

"More?"

She nodded. "Much more…I shall have to show you another night."

"And now you have your husband feeling greedy."

Christine seductively smiled and placed her hand around my member once more.

"Another night…" she assured. "We have a lifetime to experiment with our bodies."

And just like that, we fell asleep. Pleasure! Such pleasure…Oh, this woman was amazing and I knew I would love her until the day that I died. The following morning, I was awakened by a knock at the door. I groaned, still believing that last night had been a dream. But the moment I opened my eyes and saw Christine's naked body lying beside me, I couldn't help but smile… Oh, it hadn't been a dream after all. But who was at my door? And at this hour? Not wanting to wake Christine, I slipped from the covers and wrapped one of the sheets around my waist. From there, I placed on my mask and headed to the door to see who was there.

"What? It's early!"

I pulled the door open and spotted Nadir standing there. He was in his usual guard attire and he slyly smiled the moment he saw the sheet wrapped around my waist.

"Well, I sure as hell didn't expect to see you coming to the door in this condition. Have you finally enjoyed the joys of the flesh?"

"Joys of the flesh?" I snapped. "Khan, it's too early for these idiotic games. Out with why you're here."

"The Shah has requested that you join him for breakfast. I'm just here to deliver the message."

"And I'm still recovering from my injury. The Shah promised me that he wouldn't bother me until Monday. That's tomorrow, Khan. Perhaps he has his days switched…"

"Erik, I came into work this morning and he told me that I was to fetch you and bring you to his breakfast table."

"Fine, I shall fetch my clothes and be out to join you."

"He ordered the both of you to join him."

"What? I could understand me, but I will not put Christine through such torture. No, I refuse to bring her…"

"Erik, could I have a word with you?"

"I thought that we were speaking, Khan? Don't sound so serious…"

"Erik," Nadir grabbed my shoulder and gently pushed me against the door. "Erik, I need to ask you a serious question."

"Serious? Khan, when have you ever been known to be anything but. Never have you ever joked around with me before. So, what seriousness are you here to question me about?"

"Erik, did you and Christine…Did you truly make love last night?"

I rolled my eyes. "If you must know my personal business, then yes, we did… We spent the night wrapped up within one another's embrace. And to answer your next question, yes, it was pleasurable. I…I never knew something like that could feel so…so amazing."

"That wasn't what I was going to ask you. Erik…Last night, when you made love to your wife, did you…did you take any kind of precaution?"

"Precaution?" I growled. "What are you talking about? What sort of precaution would I have had to partake in? I made love to my wife…It was as simple as that."

"Erik, you can't allow your seed to grow inside Christine."

"My seed?" I questioned. "Man, what are you talking about?"

"Do you even know where babies come from, Erik? This is a serious matter. You think that things are bad in the palace now? If you impregnated her, things would become ten times worse. The Shah would torture you and your slave. He…He would even possibly force her to get rid of it."

"Christine is not with child!" I grabbed the man by the shirt and pushed him against the wall. "And don't you ever threaten me like that again."

"Erik, if or when a man who works for the Shah wishes to have a child, he must ask permission from the Shah. It's considered a blessing of sorts… Any man who conceives a child without the Shah knowing first hand is considered a dead man. I…I had to ask for his permission to have a child with my wife. I have seen many men, women and unborn children die for committing such a sin."

"Christine is not and never will be pregnant, Khan! I am unable to have children…I…I was told long ago."

"You are a man, Erik… You are a man, not a creature… What makes your body any different than my own?"

Once more, I grabbed Nadir by the shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"You wouldn't want to find out…Christine is not with child, nor will she ever be. Another word about it, and I will make you eat those words. I'm going to dress, and then, you will escort Christine and I to breakfast in silence…"

With that, I headed inside, knowing that Nadir wouldn't bring the subject up again. I was a monster by nature, and monsters couldn't conceive children…At least that's what my mother once told me.


	36. Chapter 36

**Erik's POV**

I stormed back into our room, already aggravated over Nadir's harsh words.

"Get up, Christine," I growled. "We have to meet the Shah and his mother for breakfast."

Christine rolled over and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"And good morning to you too," she groaned. "Why do you sound so angry this morning?"

"No reason," I lied. "Just get dressed, and hurry."

When we were both ready to go, I escorted her out of the room and we met up with Nadir. Christine and he spoke to one another as we trailed down the many hallways until we were in the Palace's dining room.

"Ah, there is my master mason…"

I helped Christine into her seat before taking my own. The Shah was once again wearing my ribs around his neck… Oh, it was a gesture that was simply driving me mad!

"I was going to leave you to your rest this morning, Erik, but I thought about inviting you and your slave to breakfast. Wasn't that ever so generous of me?"

"If you insist, your highness…"

I was taking a sip of my tea, when I heard the Shah chuckle.

"Why, I can't help but notice your neck this morning…"

"My neck, your highness?"

The Shah rose from his throne like chair and circled me, his monstrous hand brushing against the right side of my neck.

"Love bites?"

I picked up my silver spoon and raised it so that I could see my reflection… There were a few red marks on the side of my neck.

"They're nothing," I assured. "I was bitten by a bug in my sleep."

"I don't know," the Shah teased. "They look sort of human to me."

Great, this was all I needed and at this ungodly hour of the day. The Shah was at Christine's seat now. I knew the man made her feel uncomfortable, for I could see her shaking.

"So, tell me little slave, did your master have his way with you last night? Did he make you bite him?"

"N…No, your highness…" she shuddered.

"Speak louder! I can't hear you, girl. Did your master have his way with you last night?!"

Christine nodded and that's when the Shah grabbed her hair and pulled her neck back. Oh, I wanted to kill him! How dare he touch my wife like that?!

"Enough!" I growled, shooting to my feet. "I have a right to take my slave to bed with me if I wish. She is my wife, and I can do whatever I want with her!"

"Is that so? If that's the case, then I would truly love to speak with you about this…"

The Shah let Christine go and had her removed from the room. She didn't want to leave, but I nodded and she left without arguing about it. When the Shah and I were alone, he pushed me back into my chair and smiled.

"So, tell me, dear mason, how did it feel to take a woman?"

"I…I'm not going to sit here and explain that to the likes of you. I don't go around asking you about your love affairs, so don't ask me about my own."

"Ah, you have a tongue today… You best shut up before I decide to take a few more of your ribs. Someday I may even have to place your hideous head on a spike and display it throughout the palace. It would be a nice addition to the rest of my collection. Anyway, I wish to tell you my own little secret…"

The Shah scooted his chair closer to my own and patted me on the back.

"You believe your slave to be pure? She's not a pure angel, Erik of Egypt. You see, last week when she was out and about while you were working, your little slave girl and I had lunch with one another. You see, I get what I want, Erik, and last week, I wanted her. I took her to my bed and had my way with her…and oh, how she loved it."

My fists instantly flew to the man's throat, but the guards were there to stop me. No! No, this couldn't be the truth! I wouldn't let this be the truth!

"Easy there, mason… You wouldn't want to over step your bounds."

"You're lying! You're lying…My slave… She would never."

"But she did. She didn't want it at first, but I forced her to do me. Afterwards, I made her swear to me that she would never tell you. You can ask her, but I can tell you that she would deny it, for I told her that I would have you murdered if she told you. You should have taken her to bed sooner, mason. I do enjoy a tight virgin…I crave it, and I always get what I want."

I was heartbroken, for if Christine truly made love to the Shah, then last night had been for nothing. I stood to my feet and tossed my glass to the floor in anger.

"Next time you take your woman to bed, think of me, and all the pleasure I had given her. I'm sure she might even call out my name in the middle of it, seeing that you couldn't bring a horse to orgasm. I don't know how she ever goes to bed with you, Erik of Egypt. One would have to be truly drunk and passed out to go to bed with the likes of your hideous self. Big day tomorrow, man… The work on my torture chambers will officially begin. Have a wonderful day resting…"

With that, I found that I couldn't go home… Not after what the Shah had said to me. No, instead, I found myself searching for Nadir. The rainy season had finally arrived and the whole desert had turned into a soaking wet wasteland. I didn't care that it was storming… No, I wandered outside the palace walls, soon coming face to face with the man I had been searching for. At first, I believed it to be a palace guard, but when I turned around and noticed Nadir's horse headed my way, I knew that it was anything but.

"Erik? Erik, what are you doing out here? You're going to catch your death!"

The man grabbed me by the arm and hauled me up onto his horse's back.

"I was heading home for some lunch. I guess you could join me… At least it's warm and dry there."

The entire way to Nadir's house was silent, for all I could think about was the Shah and him taking my wife like I had last evening. I was like a lifeless zombie, believing that I have had everything taken from me.

"Erik, what's wrong… You're acting rather strange today."

Nadir dragged me into his home and handed me a blanket to wrap around my soaking wet body.

"Erik, snap out of it, man… What has gotten into you?"

"It's over, Khan…"

"Over?"

Nadir sat me down on his couch and his servant offered to make us tea.

"Erik, what are you talking about? This morning you seemed as though you were the happiest man alive. Though, I couldn't blame you, for Christine truly does love you."

"Y…You left me with the Shah this morning before leaving for your daily duties, Khan. He…He noticed a few love bites on my neck. I…I didn't make Christine do anything to me that she didn't want to do. I…I actually had no idea what I was doing last night. She took control and taught me pleasure, I hadn't thought possible. When I confessed to the Shah that I had taken her, he laughed and sent her away. I wasn't sure why, but when Christine was gone, he confessed that he had taken Christine a few days ago."

"What?" Nadir growled. "He truly said this?"

I pressed my eyes closed and nodded… Oh, it was the most painful nod I ever had to give.

"He said that he loved a tight virgin, and that Christine was just that. He said that I should have taken her weeks ago. Oh, Khan, what am I going to do?"

"And did you say anything to Christine?"

"The Shah told me that he made Christine promise not to say a word. He said that he told Christine he would murder me if she said anything about it. You know the Shah better than I do, Khan… Is he…Is he that type of monster?"

Nadir looked down at his hands before looking back up to meet my gaze.

"I know that he takes women to his bed all the time, Erik. Sometimes, they come willingly, other times, they come tied and screaming for their lives. I'm…I'm sorry… If this truly happened, then I am so sorry, Erik. He was right though… You should have made Christine your own on your wedding night. If you had, he wouldn't have touched her. He's all about purity…"

"What am I going to do, Khan? How can I ever face her again? How can I ever look her in the eyes without sorrow?"

"Pretend that it never happened… Push it from your mind, Erik. You must, for Christine's sake. I'm sure she didn't go willingly, and if you knew the pain she went through, I'm sure it would only hurt you worse."

"Khan, I'm telling you…Before my reign of power in this palace is over, I will have that man's heart in my hand. I'm going to murder that bastard!"

"Erik," Nadir gasped. "Don't say such words… You shouldn't be telling me this. He is a man of power."

"He shouldn't be in power! He is a bad man, Khan! A horrible and despicable man! He should be burned at the stake! He doesn't have any remorse for anything in this world!"

"Maybe, Erik, but if you murder the Shah, you will be hunted down and you will be murdered."

"By who? The peasants hate him…They would adore me for doing the deed, and I would gladly volunteer!"

The servant was walking into the room when she heard the words escape my lips. She gasped and nearly dropped the tray that had our cups of tea on it. Nadir turned to her and said something in Persian… It seemed to calm her, for she left the room a few moments later.

"You should head back to the palace before you say something that my servant will go blurt out to the Shah himself. Go home to Christine and pretend that this visit never happened today, Erik."

But how could I face her? I took a breath before entering my flat, only to have her rush to me and wrap her arms tightly around my body.

"Erik! Oh, Erik, I was so worried about you! I…I got so worried when you never returned that I began questioning the guards. They didn't know where you had disappeared to, and I began to worry that the Shah had hurt you again. But you're here…You're here…"

"I…I am," I said, breaking contact from her. "I'm here."

Christine pressed her head against my chest and sighed. It was as though the world had come off of her shoulders.

"You're all right, and for that I'm thankful. You scared me…so, so much."

"I'm here now…"

Christine took a step back and gasped when she noticed that I was soaking wet.

"Were you out in the rain? You're soaked…"

Christine tried to unbutton my shirt, but I backed away.

"I…I can do it myself. I'm… I'm going to change."

I rushed into my bedroom and began to unbutton my wet clothing. Though, a few seconds later, I heard footsteps and turned to find Christine standing behind me, her robe at her feet. Oh, just the mere sight of her sent shivers down my spine. She pressed her body against my own and ran her hands down to my bare hips…And then, she kissed me, but this kiss just wasn't the same.

* * *

**Poor Poor Erik. Evil Evil Shah... Please review!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Erik's POV**

"Enough, Christine…"

I gently pushed her away and composed myself.

"What's wrong?"

I couldn't even look at her naked body, for I was too ashamed to do so.

"I'm…I'm going to work on my music."

When I had a dry shirt on, I hurried out to my desk and took a seat. I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to forgive her, but I knew that I eventually needed to. I couldn't go on for rest of my life hating her for bedding the Shah. She probably deserved it, for what pleasure could she have possibly gotten from me? I was a hideous beast, one that didn't deserve a thing. For the remainder of the day I sat there writing music as if nothing had happened.

"Erik, your breakfast is ready…"

I must have fallen asleep the night before, for when I heard Christine's voice, I opened my eyes. I was slouched over my work and my back was aching.

"Did I fall asleep?"

Christine placed my breakfast down on the table and nodded.

"I was going to wake you, but I know that you don't get a lot of rest. I decided not to disturb you, I hope that's all right?"

I stood to my feet and stretched, my back sore from the way I had slept.

"Christine, thank you…"

I took a seat in my usual spot and began to eat, taking notice that Christine was standing beside me.

"Christine, are you not going to eat with me?"

"I wasn't going to, but I guess I will if you want…"

"I would like it…"

Christine quickly made herself a plate and sat across from me.

"I…I was going to leave the palace today to go into the city with a few of the other slaves. Would that be all right?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I thought you just left the palace the other day. You're leaving more often…"

"I have a right to go out, do I not?"

"I'm going to be working all day, Christine. I…I need someone to watch Toby."

"Can't you take him with you? He'd like to spend the day by your side."

Feeling aggravated, I rose to my feet and gathered my bag.

"Fine, I'll take him… Have a nice day."

"Erik…"

Christine tried to stop me, but I hurried out with Toby at my side.

"I don't know how to deal with this woman, Toby…I love her, and yet, I curse her. Insolent creatures, women are. You should be glad you haven't found a bitch of your own."

I was told to meet the Shah's guards at the palace doors. From there, they led me down beneath the palace to a dungeon of sorts. This vacant dungeon was where I would build the Shah's torture chambers…When I was alone, I laid out the blueprints and began to work. For a while I worked without a single bark from Toby, but I knew this wouldn't last, for the next thing I knew, the dog was dropping items at my feet, items that he wanted me to throw.

"Toby, I have to work," I argued. "I can't play fetch with you right now."

The dog rolled over to his back and began to sigh. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to continue without giving in, I took a stick and threw it to the other side of the dungeon. The dog immediately rolled over and went running towards the dark corner to fetch the stick.

"Working alone are you?"

When I heard a strange voice, I looked over my shoulder to find a few of the Shah's guards walking towards me.

"The Shah has requested that I work alone, seeing that I am his best mason." I mocked.

"What about that face of yours? I'd like to see it…"

When I ignored them, I felt a hand land on my shoulder and that's when I reacted. I grabbed the hand, but the other men held me down.

"I think it's time that we saw your face! The Shah got to see it, and we want to do the same…"

I kicked and punched the air, but it was no use, for my mask came flying off my face. Oh, they were laughing now! Laughing!

"Hideous…How about we show you the love a monster like you deserves?"

When I felt hands on my trousers, I screamed and pleaded for them to stop. Though, the men never got my trousers down, for I heard Toby barking and then, he attacked my attackers. I rolled to the side and struggled to my feet as my dog locked his jaws around any part of the guards that he could get his teeth on. I lunged towards the men, but it was already too late, for one of the guards had taken out his sword and ran it straight through Toby. Everything came to a standstill, especially when Nadir and a few other guards showed up. I dropped to my knees beside my dog's bloody body and began to sob into my hands. He was still alive! Still alive, and yet, he was suffering.

"What in Allah's name is going on here!" Nadir shouted. "Get out of here…Out!"

When the guards were gone, Nadir dropped down beside me and placed his hand on my back.

"Erik…Erik, what happened?"

"Th…They attacked me. He…He was only trying to protect me."

"Erik, I'm afraid nothing can be done for Toby. He's…He's suffering."

"Leave me!" I cried. "They killed him…They…They killed my best friend!"

I petted his matted red fur and sobbed as my loyal friend took his final breath and died. I was angry now, more angry than I had ever been! I scooped my dog's body up into my arms and ran out of the dungeon. I stormed through the hallways, seeing nothing but red! I stormed right into the main hall and laid Toby's body down before the Shah's throne.

"They killed him!" I cried. "Your animals killed my friend! Sentence them to death! If you refuse to take action, I will not continue with your torture chamber!"

The Shah leaned forward in his chair and waved his hand about.

"Erik, it was just an animal…I'll get you a replacement."

"You can't replace my friend! I want justice! I demand it!"

"Justice over an animal? There is no justice, Erik… Now, get on with your day's work."

Knowing that I would have to seek my own justice, I scooped up Toby's body and headed towards the door.

"You said I would be handsomely paid… I won't lay another brick until I see that money."

A while later, I was out in the gardens of the palace burying my dog alone… I wrapped his body in a blanket and placed him in the hole I had dug beside the fountain. I never cried so hard in my life…My friend had been taken away too early…

"May you rest in peace, my friend… I…I only wish I could be there with you. No one needs to be in this disgusting world. You were too good for this earth."

"Erik?"

I was placing the dirt over my dog's grave, when I heard Nadir's voice. I spun around and dusted off my trousers.

"Can't a man be alone?"

Nadir placed a small sack down at my feet.

"What's this?"

"You drive a hard bargain, Erik… That's your payment from the Shah."

I picked up the small sack and realized that it was filled to the brim with money.

"He expects you to finish up his torture chamber now."

"I…I need you to do me a favor, Nadir," I said, placing the bag of money back into his grasp. "I…I need you to get Christine out of here."

"Erik…"

"You mentioned to me before that you wanted to get your child out of Persia… Now is the time to do it. I want Christine out of here, and I want it done as soon as possible."

"Erik, I wanted to get Reza out of Persia, but not now…Not when I can't leave with him."

"Your servant…She could take him. Man, this place is going to burn one day, and your child will become a victim! Get him out now… Take that money and get my wife out of this hellhole!"

"T…There is a passage leaving tomorrow night."

I clasped Nadir's hand around the money. "Make sure that Christine and your son are on it."

With that, I finished burying my dog and headed back to my flat.

"Erik? Erik, what's wrong?"

The moment I walked through the door, Christine nearly dropped the tea cups she had been carrying. She rushed to my side and took my shirt into her hands.

"You're covered in dirt…"

"Maybe, just maybe, Christine that's because I had to bury Toby!"

"Bury?"

"They killed him…This is all your fault!"

"What?"

"I begged you to stay and watch him, but you found leaving the palace to be more important."

"He's…He's dead?"

"The guards…They stabbed him. They attacked me, and Toby saved me."

Christine had tears in her eyes, but I didn't care, for I loved that dog more than she would ever know.

"You're being cruel! That's all you've been lately, Erik… Why! Why?!"

"Because you are ruining my life, Christine! You care about nothing but yourself!"

I knew I had hurt Christine's feelings, but I didn't care. If she would have watched Toby like I had asked her to, my dog would still be here. I went for my cloak, feeling Christine's hands wrapping around my arm.

"Erik, talk to me…Where are you going?!"

"To get my justice for Toby…"

"No more killing," she cried. "No…You can't! Once was enough! Do you want your ribs taken out again?! I won't stand around and watch you suffer because of your stupidity! No more murders, Erik…One was enough!"

"Nothing is enough…Not until justice has been served! I would kill everyone in the world if that meant I would have Toby back!"

"You can't bring him back, Erik, he's gone!"

Christine tried to grab my hand once again, but I pushed her away and went rushing out of the flat to find Toby's killers. I snuck through the corridors of the palace, seeking out the guards who had hurt my friend. Oh, and when I found them standing outside the palace, I took action. From out of my pocket, I produced my homemade noose and lunged towards them. When I caught the bastard who had stabbed Toby, I pulled the lasso tight around his neck, so tight that I broke his neck!

The other three guards sprung into action, but I was on a mission, fired by hell's fire!

"How dare you three bully me!" I pulled off my mask and lunged towards the second man. "Now you can gaze at my face and know that it shall be the last thing you ever see!"

With that, I snapped his neck as well…Two down, two to go…

When another guard lunged towards me with his sword, I grabbed it and ran it through his chest. Blood! There was blood everywhere, but I didn't care. I severed his head and turned to the final man who was now on his knees.

"Please," he begged. "Forgive me…They made me do it. I…I didn't want to hurt your stupid dog."

"He was not a stupid dog," I growled, running the blade over the man's face. "He was my best friend…But you wouldn't know what that is, would you!"

"Please, let me live…Spare my life!"

"Spare your life? You mean, the way you spared my dog's?"

And then, I knelt down to his side, took hold of his hair and sliced his throat with the sharp blade of the sword. As the man gurgled and his blood spilled out to the ground, I stood and pushed him off me.

"A life, for a life…" I snapped. "In this case, four lives for a life…"

I was covered in blood, but I didn't care. Toby had been my angel, and for him, I had become the angel of death… Tonight, justice had been served.

* * *

**Ok, this chapter was a bit morbid, but the next shall be...well, um...I think the next few are going to be a bit exciting and sad at the same time. Oh well, please review!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Erik's POV**

When I returned home, I found that my wife had not waited up for me… I knew that she wasn't going to. Tonight, she would be leaving Persia, and I knew that we would never speak to one another again. She deserved better, and I would make sure that she got it. Instead of sleeping, I found myself sitting at my desk. Sleep would never be something simple for me.

"Erik?"

When I heard my name being called, I turned around to find Christine walking into my office wearing her night attire. It was apparent that she had just gotten up. I rose to my feet, my height overpowering her own.

"I see that you slept well…"

"I…I did. Though, I was just going through the laundry and…and I couldn't help but notice your shirt from last night. Why? Why, Erik?"

"Before last evening, I wouldn't have minded your questions, but not any longer. As your master, I'm going to warn you not to question me in such a way ever again. Are we clear?"

Christine put her head down and nodded.

"On a separate note, tonight I need you to come with me to the docks."

"To the docks? Why would we be going to the docks?"

"Nadir is sending his child away for safe keeping and he wanted us to help."

"All right… I still don't understand why you would need me to help though. Why don't you just go yourself?"

I squeezed my fists and grabbed her by the arm.

"How dare you question me! I need your help and you shall do so in silence. Are we clear?"

"I regret ever making love to you! I wanted to make love to the man that I loved, and yet, ever since that night you've been nothing but a…but a…"

"Say it!" I growled. "Say it! You know you want to!"

"I do, but I won't…I'm going to be the better person. Don't you love me?"

"I used to…I used to love you, Christine. But that was before you betrayed me!"

Christine's eyes grew wide as I stormed out of the flat. It was as if she had done nothing…nothing, and yet, she had done everything. She had torn out my heart and stomped on it. Oh, why did love have to hurt so much?

I stayed at my work site for most of the day, returning that evening to escort Christine away. With some of the left over money, I put that into a small sack along with some of Christine's clothing and swung it over my shoulder.

"Come along, Christine…"

Christine headed out the door with her head down. Oh, she wouldn't even look at me…

"W…Why do you believe I would betray you? I…I have done no such thing, Erik. I've been faithful to you the entire time of our marriage. Actually, I've been faithful to you my entire life!"

"You don't love me…"

"You're right… I don't… I don't love you because you won't let me love you. I don't know you enough to love you. I pray each day and night that we will get to know each other better and eventually fall in love, but each and every time I attempt to seduce you, you turn me away. Why?"

"You broke my heart, Christine… Enough with this. I just want to help Nadir and go home…"

Christine was crying now. I couldn't understand why…Why? Why was she crying?

"Erik, I…I have to tell you something."

We were at the ship now. I wasn't listening to her though…I didn't care what she wanted to tell me. In five minutes, I wasn't going to see her ever again. I didn't want to think about never seeing her again, for this alone was killing me.

"Ah, there you are," Nadir said as he pulled his servant and son along. The child was in tears, and I could understand, for a child his age didn't understand why his father was sending him away. He probably believed he was losing his father for the rest of his life. I wasn't sure…Maybe he was. Nadir led us into a small cabin and sat Reza down on the bed. He was shoosing the boy with gentle words, words that I didn't understand because he was speaking them in Farsi… When the boy's tears finally stopped, the man made his exit and motioned me to come along. I placed the bag down beside the bed without Christine knowing and waited a few moments. I couldn't let her know that I was abandoning her.

"Christine, stay here…"

"What?" she curiously questioned.

"I need to speak to the captain," I lied. "I need to make sure that he's going to watch over Reza and make sure that he's going to stay safe. I promise I'll be right back and then, we'll depart…"

Christine took a seat on the bed and nodded. When I had her trust, I took one final look at her and left… That was all… I was never going to see her again.

"That was one of the hardest things I ever had to do," Nadir said as we departed from the ship.

"I'm sure you'll see your son again soon, Nadir. Soon, we will be able to leave this place…"

When we were off the ship, the men pulled up the anchor and the ship began to head out to sea. I turned my head over my shoulder when I heard someone shouting… It was Christine. She seemed so far away, but she was standing at the end of the ship. I knew she had believed I had abandoned her, but it was for her own good.

"Goodbye, my love…" I murmured.

For the next several weeks, I dedicated my time to finishing off the Shah's torture chamber. When I was confronted about Christine's whereabouts, I told him that she had run off… Nadir confirmed it, and lied, telling the Shah that he had sent out a search party for her. The man, of course, only laughed and went on about how I scare all the women away. I knew I was better off alone, and alone I would be forever more.

**Nadir's POV**

Five months…It had been five months since I placed my son on a ship and walked away. It broke my heart every night, but as the days went on, the possibility of ever seeing my son again became hopeless. Erik mourned Christine in his own way, that way being to keep his emotions buried deep within his chest. The man had finished nearly three of the four torture chambers the Shah had ordered him to build. But never would I ever think that my life would come to a complete halt, and that's exactly what happened.

"Khan?"

I was heading down the halls of the palace corridor, when I heard the Shah's familiar voice.

"Yes, your highness?"

I knelt before the man, but he told me to rise.

"Khan, I wish to speak to you about something in my personal chambers… Come along."

I nodded and followed the man to his chambers. I had only been there three times in the past, mostly to haul out the screaming whores when he was finished with them.

"Close the door, Khan…"

The Shah approached his window that faced the city.

"My people, Khan… They struggle to live each and every day, and yet, here I stand with this amazing view. You'd hardly believe that down below lay nothing but torture chambers to rot in. Soon, I will be using them to exterminate the scum of the city. These thieves and bastards who dare steal from me!"

"Your highness, you wanted to speak with me about something?"

The Shah turned to me, an evil smile displayed across his handsome face.

"What do you think of the mason?"

"Mason?"

"Your Erik of Egypt… What do you think of him?"

"I…I wouldn't know, your highness," I lied. "We barely speak to one another, and when we do, he does not speak. He keeps to himself… His work is simply amazing, your highness."

"That it is… But it's his attitude that turns me away. He has a saucy mouth and a temper that could frighten the king of England. He's served me well…"

"Your Highness?"

"He's served me well… He's nearly finished with my torture chambers, and when he is finished with them, I will have no further use for him. Frankly, I want his head on display beside my throne. His face is a prize, one that only comes along once every hundred years."

"Your highness, what about your palace?"

"It's complete! What else could I possibly need him for? I don't need him… I want his head on a spike and I always get what I want… And I want you to do the job, Khan. Tonight, I want you to kill the mason."

"But…"

"But nothing! Kill the mason and bring me his head. Now, not another word…"

**Erik's POV**

Every night since I had sent Christine away, all my heart did was scream her name. In my dreams, I saw her, and even when I woke, her image wouldn't leave my mind. During the day when I was down in the dungeons, I couldn't help but see her standing before me. I wasn't sure if this would ever stop, but I hoped to God that one day it would. One evening, after washing up from another hard day of work, I heard a knock at my door. It was Nadir… I didn't find this surprising, for we had been spending quite a lot of time together. Though, he usually warned me about his visits before actually visiting.

"Khan, this is…unexpected."

"Would you like to walk with me?"

The man was acting strange this evening, and I wasn't sure why. Agreeing, I grabbed my cloak and headed out the door with him.

"The Shah has already found another job for you to do once the chambers are finished. I…I will show you the spot where he wants you to build."

"Build what?"

"Not sure yet…"

I didn't question the man and followed behind him as he led me to an alley that was behind the palace.

"Right there," Nadir said, pointing to the wall that was before us.

Curious, I stepped forward.

"The wall? Khan, what could the Shah possibly want to build by this wall?"

I turned to face the man, but it happened so quickly… The moment I turned back to face him, the man drew his machete styled sword and ran the blade over my left side. I gripped my abdomen that was now gushing blood and fell to the ground. What was he doing?!

"K…Khan…"

I held up my free hand in protest, but the man was aiming his sword at me again. I was lying in a puddle of my own blood, and it was only getting bigger as the moments passed.

"Don't speak!" the man cried. "Just don't…"

"I…I don't understand. I…I thought we were friends?"

"The Shah ordered me to kill you… He wants your head on a spike beside his throne."

I knew it would only be a matter of time before the Shah became tired of me and ordered me dead. But Nadir! My own friend… He was betraying me!

I struggled to my feet, the man's hands shaking around the sword. I knew he didn't want to kill me and was only doing so to save his own skin.

"Well then," I cringed, stepping towards his blade that was pointed towards me. "If you're going to kill me, you're going about it all wrong."

I pressed my chest against the blade's tip and closed my eyes.

"Well, go on… Kill me if that's what you're going to do. Run this blade straight through my heart and give the Shah my head. The man get's everything he wants, so…give him the head he so desires."

And then, I heard the man whimper one final sentence.

"I'm…I'm so sorry, Erik…"

* * *

**THE END!... Just kidding! Wow, that would be a really sucky ending. Christine gets sent away and Erik gets killed by Nadir. No, I'm not that cruel. Though, a lot of you might enjoy the next chapter. Please review! I shall update sooner if I get a lot of requests for it. Until next time. **


	39. Chapter 39

**Erik's POV**

I closed my eyes and was ready to take my final breath, but as the moments passed, so did my breathing. When I dared to open my eyes, I spotted Nadir standing over me with his sword still shaking in his hands. And then, the man dropped it at my feet.

"Kill me!" he cried. "End my life! I…I can't do this. I can't kill you. Kill me now, Erik, for it will happen when I return to the Shah empty handed."

My bloody hand grasped the handle of the sword, but I wasn't about to kill this man.

"Two wrongs don't make a right…You have a son, and he needs you."

"I am to be killed anyway, Erik. The Shah wants your head and when I return without it, I will most certainly die."

"W…We can…We can end his life together, Khan. We could end his life and then, we could escape from this hell hole."

"Murder the Shah?" Nadir gasped. "How could you even think I would do such a thing?"

"It is the only way…Kill or be killed, Khan, your choice."

Nadir picked up his sword and placed it back into his belt.

"What did you have in mind?"

**Nadir's POV**

I didn't want to kill Erik, and yet, I didn't want to kill the Shah either. But, if I had to make a choice, I would choose to kill the Shah. I wasn't sure if Erik's plan was going to work, but we would soon find out. If it failed, we would both find ourselves dead.

"Your Highness…"

I stepped into the main hall and approached the Shah's throne. The Shah smiled and leaned forward, already anxious to see his prize.

"Ah, you're right on time… Well, let me see my head."

"I…I don't have your head at the moment, your highness."

"No!" he growled. "And why in Allah not?! I want my head, Khan!"

"I have him," I choked. "I have him, but…but I thought you would want to see him suffer."

The Shah's attitude instantly changed and his disgusted expression turned into a sly smile.

"How thoughtful of you, Khan… I would love to see you behead him. Where is he?"

"He's in the torture chambers, your Highness…"

"Take me to him…"

Everything was working out as planned, and soon, Erik and I would be leaving.

**Erik's POV**

Nadir had helped me back to the palace and down to the torture chambers. I was bleeding profusely, and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Nadir placed me down on the floor of my torture chamber, promising that he would return soon. I pressed my hand against my side and cursed the man for wounding me. When I heard footsteps coming towards the chamber, I pressed my head against the cool ground and sighed. All I had to do now was relax, for Nadir was going to do the deed.

"Here he is, your highness…"

I cracked my eyes open and saw the Shah stepping forward.

"Ah, Erik of Egypt… It won't be long now. Soon, you will be in hell, and your head will be on display. You are indeed one of the most hideous men I have ever come across."

And then I saw it… Nadir drew his sword and sliced the blade straight through the Shah's body, nearly cutting the man in half. He gasped for breath and dropped to his knees, looking straight at me before taking his final breath and falling over dead.

"We need to go, Erik…"

Nadir tried to stand me to my feet, but I found that I couldn't stand on my own. I was growing extremely weak from the loss of blood…

"I…I can't…"

"Erik, we need to go! There will be guards heading down here once he doesn't show up in his chambers tonight."

"It's…It's over for me, Khan. Go, run along and find your son."

But Nadir wasn't listening to me. No, the man scooped my bleeding body up into his arms and carried me off into the night. Nadir's home was still and silent until he burst through the door and pushed the plates and dishes from off the wooden table.

"Stay with me, Erik… You can't leave me tonight, do you hear me?"

I felt Nadir pressing his hands against my wound, only causing me more agony. I screamed and cried, but I knew in a few moments I would be dead.

"We need to hurry to the docks, Erik… The guards will be looking for us!"

The man tied a truncate of some sort around my side and pulled it tightly to stop the bleeding. From there, he draped my body in a large cloak and picked me up again. It was becoming extremely hard to stay awake now, so much so that I went limp in the man's arms, never knowing if I would ever wake again.

"Christine…."

I saw her in my dreams, and I heard her singing… I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her torso and apologize for the cruelty I had bestowed upon her. For some odd reason, my stomach was aching…but why? The only time I got a stomach ache was when I was riding in a cart or a caravan. Suddenly, my eyes opened, and I realized why my stomach was bothering me… The room I was in was swaying back and forth.

"Christine?"

"No, Erik…"

It was Nadir! He was sitting at my bedside and holding on for dear life. The furniture was moving and going back and forth. I was feeling so sick, that I bent over and vomited into a small chamber pot that was at my bedside.

"I didn't know you were prone to motion sickness…"

I wiped my mouth and plopped back against my pillow and closed my eyes.

"Y…You never asked. Why am…Why am I alive?"

"I guess Allah wasn't ready to take you yet, Erik. I've been searching for a doctor on board the ship, but I haven't found one yet."

"Ship?"

"Yes, we're aboard a ship… I'm not sure where it's taking us, but it's better than being in Persia."

"Khan, my…my body…"

"I'm going to continue my search, Erik… You need a doctor and I am going to find you one. Just lay here and relax…"

The next few hours went by while I was in a confused state. I couldn't concentrate and my body was constantly going in and out of consciousness. At one point, I opened my eyes and my sight had become blurry… Though, I felt hands prying at my wounds…

"His wounds are turning septic," I heard a strange man say. "He probably won't live past Friday."

"He's my friend," I heard Nadir say. "Please try to save him. This is all my fault…I…I did this to him. I didn't mean to hurt him, but I did and there isn't anything I can do to turn back time."

"I…I will try my best, but that is all I can do…"

"_Erik…"_

_I heard my name being called by Christine. Oh, Christine, my beautiful angel and wife. She was there, standing before me in a beautiful gown. I reached out for her, but she seemed so angry with me._

"_How could you leave me, my dear husband? What have I done to deserve this? You promised me that I would go wherever you went…You lied."_

"_No! I only did it to protect you…I only left your side to protect you, my dearest angel. Please, forgive your Erik…Please…"_

"_You didn't even let me tell you…"_

"_Tell me what? Tell me what, Christine?"_

"_It's too late to tell you what I wanted to tell you right before you left me. It was life changing and you told me that it wasn't important."_

"_Everything is important," I assured. "Everything, Christine. I was only thinking of your safety…Oh, Christine, what is it that you need to tell me?"_

"Erik?"

I was being pulled away from my angel now… I kicked and screamed and tried to hold onto my angel's hand, she went away and I was back in that strange room again. I jolted into an upright position and grasped my side that was throbbing with an unbearable ache.

"Erik, there you are…I…I was so worried about you. The doctor said that you weren't going to wake again."

But I wasn't listening to Nadir, for all I could think about now was Christine.

"Erik, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Nadir, what have I done? I…I sent her away… I sent Christine away."

I was crying into my hands now, crying and letting out my broken heart. I had broken her promise, that promise being that I would never allow her to get separated from me. But I had only been thinking of her and only her. I sobbed into my hands, only to feel Nadir's hand on my back.

"There there, my friend… I'm sure Christine would understand. You were only looking out for her best interest, just like I was looking out for the safety of my son."

"Khan, is this ship going to the same place your son was headed? The same place Christine was headed too?"

"I…I'm not sure, Erik. All I can do is pray and hope that it is… This ship is headed to America."

"America?"

Nadir nodded. "Yes, it's supposed to be a wonderful land filled with opportunity. I can only hope that my child and servant are there and safe."

"I…I'm having horrible nightmares, Khan, nightmares of Christine. I…I keep seeing her in my head and she is trying to tell me something."

"My Baba used to tell me that those dreams were ones filled with importance."

"What sort of importance?"

"He said they meant that something was left unfinished…That you were supposed to know something, but never found out what that one thing was."

"The day I left Christine on that ship, she was begging me to listen to her. She said she had something to tell me, and yet, I blew her off and told her to tell it to me later. Oh, Nadir, I sent her away… What is she was trying to tell me that she was sick? I could have sent her to another country ill…What if she died! Oh, I would never forgive myself…"

"Erik, get a hold of yourself, man! You did what you thought was right and there is no changing that. The Shah was going to harm her sooner or later… You heard what he did to her. He had his way with your wife! Whose to say that it wasn't rape? I don't believe that Christine would have gone willingly to his bed. But he's dead now, Erik…Dead, and we are free."

"Do you think I will ever stop having these nightmares?"

"Baba used to say that you will only stop having them when you find out what you were supposed to know. Once you do find out, the nightmares will come to an end."

"But what if I never find out?" I cried. "What if I see her in my dreams forever? Never knowing what she wanted to tell me, because I sent her away."

"That, my friend will be your own punishment…Your punishment for sending Christine away without listening to her first. Sometimes, we take our loved ones for granted…Even though we believe we are doing the right thing, sometimes it's not always what we should do."

"I…I love her, Khan. I regret sending her away…"

"You wouldn't regret it if you knew the fate that would have followed her, Erik. You got her out of the city, and that was the right thing to do… Now rest, we have a long journey ahead of us."

I relaxed and looked up at the ceiling, hoping that one day, somehow, I would find Christine again, and know what that one important thing was that she had been wanting to tell me…Someday..Somehow, I would know.

* * *

**Ok, so I was going to update this tomorrow, but I just watched this really rip off movie of Phantom titled "A Monster in Paris." It made me so angry that I just needed to post this. So, ding dong the Shah is dead. Please review!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Erik's POV**

"All right, Erik, stay here…"

When we finally arrived in America, Nadir dragged me through each and every check point. I was barely conscious half the time, for our long journey had weakened me. At first, I thought I was going to have to be placed into quarantine, but after the doctors inspected my wound, they assured me that I wasn't a threat to anyone. Nadir pulled us to a side of the city where I wouldn't have imagined being. Something was being built in the distance, something strange, yet beautiful… It could have been a whole other world, but I wasn't sure, for it looked as though it had just started being built.

"I placed our first month's rent down," Nadir replied as he carried me up the stairs of the decaying two story row home. The stairs and walls were so old that I was sure the place would collapse around us. "We will stay here until we can find something better. I'm going to search for work…"

The bed that occupied the attic was old, but Nadir didn't seem to care. He pulled the sheet off it and placed my body down on top of the mattress.

"Khan, I feel as though I've been wearing the same clothes for weeks."

"That's because we probably have, friend. I'll get you some soap and water before I make my way out into the city. Are you going to be all right here?"

"I…I just want to rest is all," I crooned. "I need to recuperate from the trip and my wounds."

I was sweating now, so much, that Nadir ran his handkerchief over my head.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you, Erik… I wasn't thinking…"

"Is this how I'm going to spend the rest of my days?" I groaned. "Lying in this old bed and dying from the agony of my wound?"

"Rest, Erik… If I can find some medicine for you to help with the pain, I will bring you some."

Before Nadir left, he brought me a basin filled with soapy water. It took forever for me to disrobe, but once I was naked, the water made my aches and pains feel better. Though, the moment I attempted to run the soapy sponge over my festering wound, I jumped and wailed out in agony…Deciding that the only way to stop the pain would be to lay shirtless, I crawled beneath the blankets and closed my eyes.

"Erik…"

I was woken many hours later, when I heard Nadir's frantic voice.

"Erik, Erik, wake up, man…"

I cracked my eyes open and spotted Nadir setting some new bandages and a bottle of some sort of substance down on my night table.

"What is it?"

The man didn't have to answer me, for standing in the doorway to my bedroom was Reza! It was as clear as day… He was here! But, if the child was here, that meant that Christine had to be as well!

"Khan!"

"I know! A miracle from Allah himself! I stopped at the drugstore, and that happened to be right across the street from a housing unit with lots of children running around outside. I don't know what it was, but….but for some odd reason, it was like Allah was telling me to go inside. When I asked about my boy, the owner took me to a room that was filled with children, and my son was there!"

"Y…Your servant. Was she there too?"

"Erik…Reza, he told me that she became ill once they arrived in New York and she died a few weeks later."

My heart suddenly ceased within my chest. No…No, she couldn't be…

"Christine…My wife, where is she?"

Reza came into my room and climbed up on the end of my bed. From there, he told me what became of my wife…

"When we arrived in America, she left us… She seemed sick and she couldn't bear to stay with us, telling me that she didn't want to get me sick. I…I haven't seen her since."

"No…"

I gathered to my feet and held onto the bedpost for support. No! I wouldn't stay put when my wife was out there in the world all alone! What if she died? What if she was sick on the streets?

"Erik, you can't go out there," Nadir warned. "You can barely stand on your own two feet. Killing yourself will do her no good."

"I have to!" I cried. "I have to look for her, Khan!"

I was breathing so heavily, that I fell back against the bed.

"Erik, you're on death's door already. You shouldn't be getting yourself all riled up like this. I will search for Christine if you promise me that you will stay up here."

"I can't! I need to be out there too, Khan! I need to find her…"

Knowing that I wasn't going to agree to staying put, Nadir nodded.

"All right, but at least allow me to dress your wound before we head out."

It wasn't the best five minutes I have ever experienced, but once I was patched up again with fresh bandages and medicine, Nadir helped me dress and we were off into the crowded city. I wasn't even sure where to start…but, as they say, the best place to start is at the beginning, and that's exactly where I began. Reza took us to the last place he seen Christine…That being an alley near the docks. Knowing that we would cover more ground if we split up, I went my own way, assuring Nadir that I would meet him back at the house by eight. I wanted to approach everyone and ask if they had seen a beautiful woman wandering around with sapphire eyes and chocolate curls, but everyone I attempted to approach ran away due to my mask. I was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable, especially when I entered the market district of the city.

Oh, where was my sweet Christine? Maybe she wasn't even alive… But if she wasn't, then where was her body? For hours I searched for her, but for hours I failed. I was becoming weak in the knees, and I knew if I didn't take a break, sooner than later, I was going to collapse in the middle of the street. I wasn't sure what led me there, but I found myself at the door of a tiny café… I would have continued passing by, if it wasn't for the smell of sugar and coffee fermenting from the open window of the shop. Soon, my stomach began to growl, and I realized that I had not eaten anything in days, for the ship's food always made me ill.

"No, I need to keep searching…" I told myself as the urge to go inside became more urgent. "I only have an hour left of daylight…"

My body reacted quicker than my thoughts, and I was now entering the small café. It wasn't much…Not much at all. There were a few tables set up with a counter. Behind the counter, there was a rack of pastries and breads… It wasn't anything elaborate, but the smell of tea certainly did have me thirsting for something to drink.

"Can I help you?"

I had been looking at the pastries, when a strange, yet nasally voice caught me off guard. It came from a tall man that was standing behind the counter. Though, this man was anything but normal. He was lanky, thin and his hair was all different shades of charcoal….His hair sticking up in all different ways. He was wearing a black vest with gold buttons and his shirt was a light shade of purple with dark thin stripes lining it. I had never seen anything like this man before….

"Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry…" I began. "It's just that I've never seen someone….er…like you before."

"Excuse me? If you came in here to harass me about my appearance, then I suggest you take a long good look in the mirror. Have you noticed that you're wearing a mask?"

"I know what I'm wearing…"

"Then why are you making fun of me?"

"I'm not…I'm…I just want a cup of tea."

I began to get weak in the knees, and this man noticed, for he came rushing around the counter and pulled out a chair for me to sit in.

"You're sweating, are you sure you're all right? You really don't look well at all."

"I…I have an injury. I'm all right."

The man quickly made up a cup of tea and placed it down in front of me.

"An injury? Well, I used to be a doctor in Russia… Would you be willing to let me see this injury of yours?"

I wasn't sure whether to trust this man or not, but he seemed determined to see my injury. Nodding, I pulled my shirt from out of my trousers and lifted it up enough for him to see my bandaged wound. As I sipped on my tea, the man pried away my bandage, and gasped at the festering wound.

"How can you stand to walk around like this? It's festering…"

"What else could I have done?"

"Oh, nothing really… These doctors will go on and on with their new medicines and what not, but I have my own variety of medicines that I've been testing out. I do have something that I made from coffee beans and a few other secret ingredients. If you wouldn't mind letting me try it out on your wound, I believe it will truly help with the pain."

"If…If you insist…"

"I do…"

The man rummaged around his café and came back with a dark and disgusting smelling salve. It burned at first, but after a few seconds, it took away my pain.

"I'll give you a jar of this and I'm sure your wound will be completely healed in no time… How did you get this nasty thing anyway?"

"It…it was a construction accident," I lied. "I fell on my carving knife."

"Ah, construction? You're a mason?"

I nodded. "I guess you could say that."

"Do you need a job? I have a friend, one who is the owner of the new city construction. He's building a world, one that will be filled with fun and wonder. His last mason died, and he's in need of a new one. I could speak to him if you're up for the job?"

"I'd like that…um…what is your name?"

"Gangle, Dr. Gangle," he replied. "And you are?"

"Erik…just Erik."

"Well, just Erik. If you come tomorrow morning I will take you to see him myself. Once this new world is finished being built, I am going to move my café. I will do better business there…"

"So, it's just you running this place?"

"No…I do have a helper…Ah, here she comes now. I sent her out to run an errand."

Suddenly the door opened, and I kept my back turned.

"Erik, I'd like you to meet my helper…"

I turned around, expecting to find another strange looking woman, but instead, it was Christine! Christine! She was here…She was standing right before me!"

"Erik, this is…"

"Christine!" I gasped, shooting to my feet. "Christine, you're here…"

Christine backed up towards the door. She was wearing a cloak and seemed to have gained a lot of weight since the last time I had seen her.

"You two know each other?"

Tears formed in Christine's eyes as she approached me, lifted up her hand and slapped me across the face. Though, I did not argue, for I deserved it.

"How dare you come and claim me now…Invade my life like I am a piece of property!"

"If you could know the pain I've known, then you would know I had no choice…My Christine…"

"I'm not your Christine!" she cried. "Not now, and not any longer…"

When the woman tried to flee, I grabbed her cloak, causing it to fall off her, and when she turned around to face me, the first thing I noticed was her protruding stomach…She was heavily pregnant… But there was only one solution to this…Christine had either remarried, or she was indeed carrying the Shah's child!

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN! Yeah, they are back together! Well, we shall see how this plays out. Stay tuned... Please review!**


	41. Chapter 41

**Erik's POV **

"Christine…You look well," I slowly began, my hands sweating from how nervous I was. "You…You must have remarried?"

"Remarried?" she cried. "Remarried? What am I to you? A whore?"

I didn't even have time to react, for the woman slapped me in the face again and fled the café.

"Erik, how do you know her?"

"S…She's my wife."

That evening, I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling. My wife hated me and there was no changing it. But what could I possibly do to change the way she felt about me? When I told Nadir I had found Christine, he seemed happy, until he began wondering why I hadn't brought her here… I knew it was going to take a lifetime to get her to forgive me. The following morning, I was up before the sun and hurrying to the café. Dr. Gangle had given me her work schedule for the next few days in order to try and patch things up with her. The café opened its doors to the public at six a.m. but he told me Christine always came in an hour early to set up. Deciding to surprise her, I went to the backdoor and was relieved to find that she had left it unlocked. I was quiet as a mouse, and I always had been… When we were children, I used to be able to sneak up on her without a single sound.

The café was still in darkness as I stood in the center of the room gazing at the empty tables and chairs. Suddenly, I heard a smash, only to spin around and find Christine standing near the front counter, the tea kettle she had been carrying lay at her feet in a million pieces. It was apparent that I had frightened her.

"Christine," I tried to hurry to her side to help with the mess, but the woman rushed back into the kitchen.

"Christine, wait!"

I was nearly at the kitchen door, when she came barreling through with a broom in her hand.

"You're not supposed to be in here," she growled. "I don't want to see you!"

When I attempted to intervene, she swung the broomstick towards my head and knocked me to the floor. Before falling on my butt, I fell back against a row of tables and chairs, bringing a few of them down with me. When I was finally on the floor, I grasped my aching side and stumbled to my feet.

"You don't belong here!"

"I…If you would just let me explain, Christine…"

"No," she cried. "You broke your promise to me. You promised that you would never leave my side, and you did…What made matters worse was that you didn't even tell me. You left me on that ship like yesterday's whore…"

"T…That's not true…I…I nearly died, Christine. I…I was only looking out for your safety. I didn't want to leave you."

"But you did. Oh, Erik, you did. I never want to see you again…I can't even trust you."

"I risked my life to save yours, Christine…Even after you betrayed me."

"Betrayed you? I never betrayed you, Erik…"

"Of course you did," I cried. "You went to bed with the Shah… He…He told me himself."

Christine shook her head and tossed the broom aside.

"Do you truly believe that I would have went to bed with that despicable man? I…I can't believe those words have even escaped your lips."

"He threatened you…He said that if you spoke one word about it, or even acknowledged it, he would have hurt me…"

"And yet, here we are…There is no Shah here to hurt you or me, and I stand before you with the truth. I never slept with the Shah of Persia… Is that why you sent me away? You thought I was his whore?"

Now I truly was ashamed… I had sent Christine away not only to protect her, but also because I had believed the Shah over her. I did not deserve this woman, and I knew that she would never want me in her life again. My shirt had been neatly tucked into my trousers, but I pulled it out and lifted it just enough so she could see my bandaged side.

"A few months after I sent you away, the Shah ordered Nadir to kill me. I…I had been working on a special project for him, and when I was finished with it, he wanted Nadir to bring him my head…"

"Erik…"

"Do you wish to see what Nadir and the Shah did to me?"

Christine was trying to protest, but I already had the bandage off my wound. Her eyes went wide as she approached me and looked down at the oozing wound.

"It…it looks infected."

"Your boss gave me something for it… Today is the first day I can actually say that it looks a little better than it did. I…I didn't think I was going to make it here. When Nadir told me that he couldn't finish the job, we decided to end the Shah's life to save our own."

"Y…You killed the Shah of Persia?"

"Technically, Nadir did."

"Erik, what if something happens? What if they come looking for you and Nadir?"

"I think Nadir and I are pretty safe being here in America. But, please, Christine, forgive me. I don't expect to earn your trust ever again, but just knowing that you're safe is enough… Our marriage was never an official marriage to begin with. It was before the eyes of Allah, and I did it to save you."

"I…I know. But it still hurts, Erik. You lied to me and placed me on that ship without even saying goodbye. Do you know how frightened I was? I'm still frightened…"

I dropped to my knees and grasped her skirts in my hands.

"Oh, Christine, forgive me… I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have sent you away… I only wanted you to be safe."

"Erik…Will you…Will you have a cup of tea with me before the café opens?"

I quickly nodded and didn't hesitate in pulling out a chair for her to sit in. Though, she reminded me that she had dropped the kettle and went running to the kitchen to fetch a new one. I waited anxiously for her return, wondering if she was even going to return at all. What if she was lying to me? What if that had only been an excuse to get away from me?

"Here," she returned, pouring me a cup of tea and placing a pastry down beside me. "Doctor Gangle has the best pastries around New York."

"T…Thank you."

"You're welcome…"

There was an awkward silence…Oh, how was I going to talk to this girl? There were so many things I wanted to say, so many things I wanted to apologize for, and I didn't even know where to start.

"I…I could understand if you never wanted to see me again."

"The truth, Erik, is I've never really gotten over you. Last night was the first night I didn't actually cry myself to sleep."

"W…Where are you staying? If you don't have a place to stay, you could always come with me… Nadir is renting a two bedroom row home. It's not much, but it has a roof and a bed."

"I'm actually staying in the café's attic bedroom. Doctor Gangle says it works out better for him… I can stay late and clean up, and I don't even have to leave the premises. You know, besides the whore house, he was the only one who would hire me."

"What? I thought America was supposed to be the land of opportunity?"

"Well…" Christine made a nervous face and placed her hand over my own. "Do you remember the day you left me on that ship, Erik?"

"Unfortunately, all too well, I'm afraid."

"I…I wanted to tell you something, but you weren't interested in hearing it. Well, I wanted to tell you that…that I was carrying a child…"

"But…But you just told me that you never slept with the Shah, Christine. Are you now going to change your story?"

"What? Of course not… Erik…"

"Then who? Who is the father, Christine!"

"You are…" she sobbed. "You're the father, Erik. You are the only man I have ever been with. You were my first kiss, the one I gave my virginity to…You were once my everything, and now, I am carrying your child."

"No…" I didn't want to believe it, for how could I? My mother once told me that monsters do not bear children. God did not give them that ability…

"You're a man, Erik…" Christine cried. "You are a man, just like any other man. What makes your body and its functions any different? Your face does not prevent you from impregnating a woman… That's why I couldn't get a job… You sent me here to America, and yet, you sent me here alone. When employers questioned me about my husband, and I told them that I didn't have one, they turned me away. What was I to say to them? They were afraid that a pregnant woman without a husband would give their business a bad reputation…And then I ended up here. There is a private world being built by the ocean…One that is going to be housing freaks of all shapes and sizes. One afternoon I wandered in here and began talking to Dr. Gangle. I told him that my husband had a deformed face and that he left me… The man gave me a job, and I've been here ever since."

My child! Christine was carrying my child… No, she had to get rid of it! Anything that came from me surely wouldn't be of any good.

"Erik, say something…"

"Why? Why did you keep it?" I cringed. "Why would you keep something that came from me?"

"Because it is the only thing I have left of you," she cried. "Do I not deserve to be happy too? Even if you were here, I would have still kept it. This is our child, Erik! It's not just something you can throw away! We created him or her out of love, and loved it shall be…"

"Christine, I…"

I didn't know what I was going to say to her, for I didn't have anything to say. A child? I couldn't be a father, for I never had one to teach me anything. I wasn't even sure if Christine still wanted to be with me…most likely not. She would have her child and flee the city most likely… I couldn't blame her, for I had hurt her deeply.

"Ah, there you are, Erik…"

Dr. Gangle came walking into the café, making it clear that this reunion would have to continue at a later time.

"Come along, man… I want to introduce you to the man I was talking about."

I was gathering to my feet, when Christine called out for me one final time.

"Erik?"

"Yes, Christine?"

"I'm working late tonight… The café closes around nine, but I have to finish cleaning up afterwards. It would be nice to have some company while I'm doing so…"

I was about to answer, when Dr. Gangle answered for me.

"Of course, Christine. I'm sure Erik will have plenty of paper work he could be doing while you sweep up. I'll bring him back at eight…"

"Thank you for answering for me," I growled as we headed towards the new world.

"I didn't hear anything coming from you. The fact is that you broke this poor girl's heart and you need to grovel at her feet to get her back. Plus, do you want to still be angry with each other with a baby coming into the picture soon?...I didn't think so."

As annoying as this man was, he was right… Like it or not, Christine was having my child, and I wanted all of this to be behind us before it arrived. So, grovel I would…

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**Well, looks like things are pretty patched up here. Please review!**


	42. Chapter 42

**Erik's POV**

I wasn't sure where Dr. Gangle was taking me, but I followed him through the strange streets and alley ways until we ended up in the center of the construction.

"Erik, I'd like you to meet my friend and mastermind of this project, Mr. Squelch…"

This Mr. Squelch wasn't like any businessman I expected to see… No, he was a large, plump man with strange black tattoos covering his face. The man smiled and extended his hand to me.

"Squelch, this is Erik… He's in need of a job."

"A job? Well, I would be more than happy to hire him. What can you do?"

"I'm…I'm a mason," I began. "I can draw things…Create blueprints."

While Dr. Gangle and Mr. Squelch babbled on about what they would have me do, I looked around the construction site. There were lots of strange buildings, but what caught my attention was a large open space that was near the beach.

"What's that?"

"What's what?" Mr. Squelch questioned.

"That open space…"

"Ah, I was going to build a concert hall there…"

"A concert hall?" I questioned. "Why settle for a concert hall, when you can have an entire opera house?"

There was a moment of silence, and then, Mr. Squelch's eyes went wide.

"You're absolutely right…"

"I am?"

"Yes…And I want you to design it! Design me an opera house and I will hire you to build it!"

My first real job…I never thought I would get a job, but now I had one. I thanked Dr. Gangle and my new boss, Mr. Squelch…

For the remainder of the day, I spent it in the café coming up with ideas for an opera house, one that would be my own.

"Good night, Christine…"

The café was closed down now, and Dr. Gangle was leaving. Christine came walking out of the kitchen with her broom in hand and smiled.

"Good night, Dr. Gangle. I will see you tomorrow morning…"

With us being locked in, I went back to my drawings… All day long I had been drawing, and throwing away, drawing and throwing away… This couldn't be good, it had to be great! It had to be an opera house that would take everyone's breath away, including Christine's.

"Anything good?"

When I heard her voice, I gasped and covered my drawings, finding her standing behind me.

"It's not ready yet," I growled. "When I'm finished, you will see it, but not a moment until then."

"All right, you don't have to be so mean about it."

Christine went about her business as I sat there drawing by candle light.

"How much does Dr. Gangle pay you anyway? I can't imagine much…"

"He pays me enough," she snapped. "Besides, he's given me a place to stay. With the money I make along with tips, I live quite comfortably."

"You deserve more," I began. "You deserve to have everything you want…"

Christine had been sweeping up, but stopped when she heard me say those exact words.

"But I do have everything I could have ever wanted. I'm happy…"

There was a moment of silence, and then, Christine approached me and blew out the candle that was sat in the center of my table.

"I wasn't finished with that…"

"Well, scoot…I need to finish cleaning."

"You drive a hard bargain, woman…"

I gathered up my work and stepped aside. From there, Christine swept beneath my table and wiped the surface.

"All done…"

"So," I said, looking towards the back door. "It's been nice…I…I guess I'll let myself out."

"Aren't you going to stay a while?"

"You've already cleaned up," I said. "I…I don't know what you mean."

Christine giggled and motioned to the stairs that were towards the back of the café.

"Would you like to see my room?"

"Of course…"

In darkness, I followed Christine up the stairs. From there, Christine lit a few candles and the room illuminated. It wasn't much…There was a bed, a basin and a window…

"Well, here it is…"

"It's nice," I began, placing my work down on her night stand. "A little small, but it's all right."

"I'm only one person," she began. "I don't need any more room. And once the baby arrives, I can put a cradle on the other side of the room."

"Right," I sarcastically replied, stepping towards the window. "The baby…"

"Are…Are you going to be around for a while?" she nervously questioned. "Or are you going to flee?"

"Christine, I know that I've said things that I didn't mean in the past, but I can promise you that I'm never going to leave you alone ever again. I promise, Christine…"

"You promised before, Erik… You've promised me so many things and yet, you broke so many promises too. I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Believe me," I cried. "I am never going to leave you again, Christine. I was only trying to protect you back in Perisa. If there was no threat, than I wouldn't have sent you away. I was a stupid, stupid man, and I really wish we could move on from this. I know that I was cruel when I first saw you yesterday, but I'm here now…Oh, Christine…"

She was crying, crying because I had hurt her. I didn't know what to do to make everything better, but I knew that I needed to try. I slowly approached the woman and wrapped my arms around her body…She then turned and sobbed into my shirt.

"I've missed you so much… Please, don't ever leave me again. Stay… Stay with me."

"I'll stay as long as you want me to stay, Christine."

"Then stay with me forever… I know this room isn't much, but I would enjoy it more if you were staying here with me."

"If that is what you want, then I shall stay…"

And then, Christine cupped my masked face and pressed her lips against my own. It had almost been a year since I last felt her lips against my own, and I wouldn't give it up for anything…This was my happiness.

The night before I had fallen asleep beside Christine. The bed was indeed much more comfortable than the one in Nadir's attic, for I couldn't feel the springs in this mattress. The morning sun woke me, and after rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I noticed that Christine was already gone. After stretching and placing on my shirt, I rose and headed down the stairs. I expected the café to still be closed, but it was already bustling with a crowd of people wanting their coffee and tea. Knowing that I needed to stay away from the crowds, I took a seat in the back of the café, taking the last table available. Christine came rushing out of the kitchen carrying a tray that was clearly too heavy for her… As soon as she seen me, she came hurrying my way.

"Sorry I wasn't there when you woke, Erik, but I needed to open the café…"

I couldn't help but notice that the woman seemed exhausted.

"Christine, perhaps you should sit down? You don't look well…"

"Nonsense, I'll be all right…"

"Are you sure? Christine, you really don't look well at all…"

Christine placed a cup of tea down beside me and smiled. "It pays the bills, Erik. I will see you tonight? I hope?"

"Of course…"

I watched Christine for a while more before standing and heading out. Deciding to work on my drawings near the beach, I headed that way, only to run into Nadir.

"Erik? Erik, there you are!"

The man came running up beside me and stopped me from walking any further.

"Erik, I've been worried sick about you. You never came home… I thought something might have happened to you."

"Everything happened to me, Nadir! I got a job… A real job! I was hired to design an opera house for the new world. Everything is going great… Christine has forgiven me, and she…she's carrying my child."

"What?"

I nodded. "Christine is carrying my child, Nadir! I…I think we're going to be all right."

"Where is she living?"

"She works for a strange man… He runs a café and Christine is living in the attic bedroom. It's quite nice. I spent the night and Christine has asked me to stay. I think I'm going to take her up on the offer. Oh, Khan, I know that I can do this woman good."

"All right," Nadir began. "But don't forget about me. I really wish you would stop by once in a while. Maybe you could bring Christine around… It has been a long time."

"I'll speak to her about it. I'm off to work now, man… I'll try to stop by this weekend sometime."

And just like that Nadir and I parted ways. For hours, I sat near the beach and drew…Oh, how I drew. This opera house needed to be perfect! It needed to be everything I could have ever wanted in an opera house, for I knew that one day, I would have Christine singing as the lead diva…Nothing could have sounded better.

I sighed and looked out at the ocean and its waves that were crashing on shore. I wasn't sure why, but I loved this new world.

"Sir! Sir!"

I wasn't sure who was screaming, but I turned around to find a young boy headed my way.

"Sir!"

"Me?"

The child stopped to catch his breath and nodded.

"Dr. Gangle sent me… He told me to come and find a man wearing a white mask."

"Me? Why would he send for me?"

"Your wife…She…She's having the baby."

"What?" I shot to my feet and went running towards the café. The baby! Why now? Why today?!

"Christine!" I ran through the door and up the stairs to her attic bedroom. The café was empty, but I could hear her cries of pain emerging from her room.

"Erik…"

I approached her side and she squeezed my hand.

"What happened?"

"She slipped and fell in the kitchen," Dr. Gangle began. "Her water broke."

"Water?"

"It…It means the baby is coming." Christine cried.

"How early is she?"

"Two weeks…"

"Is that safe?" I frantically questioned. "Is the baby going to be all right?"

Dr. Gangle nodded and positioned himself at the end of Christine's bed.

"I'm going to deliver the baby, Erik… I've delivered five in my days as a doctor."

I wasn't sure what to do, but I sat beside Christine and held her hand through every contraction. And when it was time for her to deliver, my nerves began to stir.

"All right, Christine, push…"

Christine continued to squeeze my hand as she did as Dr. Gangle told her to do. Oh, if I could take away her pain I would. She didn't deserve this…She was too perfect for pain.

"Again, Christine…"

Once more, Christine pushed with all her might.

"The head is nearly out…One more push, Christine."

When the woman pushed again, two things happened. The first thing was the beautiful yet strange cry of a baby… I never thought I would hear my own child cry, for I didn't believe I would ever have one. It was beautiful, and I was anxious to see it… Though, the second thing that happened frightened me, for Dr. Gangle's face went pale…

"What? What's wrong?" I cried.

"It's…It's a boy," Dr. Gangle nervously replied. "You have a son."

"And?"

Dr. Gangle closed his eyes and shook his head. From there, he wrapped the child in a blanket and handed him to Christine with shaking arms. Christine looked down at our son and smiled.

"Oh, Erik…Erik, this is our son…"

Curious as to why Dr. Gangle seemed so frightened, I scooted closer to Christine and gazed down at our child… He was hideous! This child had inherited my face, for he had the same sunken in cheek as I had along with yellowish twisted flesh. I could see his life flashing before my eyes and it wasn't pretty…No, this child couldn't continue living. I needed to do something my mother never did for me…I needed to put him out of his misery.

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**Please review! I shall try to upload another chapter soon, but I have my first book signing next weekend and I have a lot to get prepared for it... Kind of nervous, but excited all the same! **


	43. Chapter 43

**Erik's POV**

"Do you want to hold him?"

Christine was asking if I wanted to hold this creature, and yet, I knew I couldn't continue with this nightmare. I quickly snatched the child from her arms, causing this thing to cry.

"Erik, what are you doing?"

I placed the child down into the small cradle that was on the other side of the room and walked away.

"Erik…What's wrong?"

"You're not going to touch him," I growled. "If you do not feed it or touch it, it will die."

"Die?" Christine had tears in her eyes, but why? Why was she crying? "You're being cruel! Give me back my son!"

"Why? Why do you want that thing? I'm trying to save him from a life of suffering. Do you know the pain this boy will go through? He will be mocked, he will be critized for his looks… He will turn out just like me…a nobody!"

Dr. Gangle must have heard everything, for he scooped the screaming boy up into his arms and stopped him from crying.

"Erik, the new world will be built soon. This new world is going to be a safe haven for those like you and me…even the child. You don't have any control over this boy, and what he is bound to live for. That is up to God…"

"Dr. Gangle is right, Erik… I won't let you harm him."

"Plus, with his father being around, he's more likely to understand. Coney Island will be a safe haven, Erik, and no one will ever hurt him."

Dr. Gangle placed this boy back into Christine's arms, and she smiled.

"I don't understand why you feel as though this child is the devil…He is you, Erik. He is your own flesh and blood, and yet, you were going to dispose of him…"

"His face…"

"It means nothing," Christine swore. "He is me, and he is you. If you don't want anything to do with him, I suggest you leave right now and never return. If you don't want to acknowledge my son, then I don't want to acknowledge you either…"

I couldn't stay here… I ran my fingers through my hair and ran out the door. I needed some fresh air…I needed to think! My son… I had a son, and yet, instead of being this perfect little angel, he was a complete monster! I wanted to jump off the nearest pier and end my life, but I knew that wouldn't do me any good. And yet, I never had a father, for he had died before I was born. He was the lucky one, for he never had to look at my hideous face. He died believing that my mother was going to give birth to a perfect little boy. But how could I abandon Christine now? I had already abandoned her twice… If I did so a third time, I knew that she would never forgive me again. Dr. Gangle was right… I could be there for the boy and educate him about the world's cruelty and how to deal with his face.

Knowing that I needed to return to Christine, I headed back inside and found Christine rocking this child to sleep in her arms.

"I apologize," I began. "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"You hurt my feelings, Erik… This child wasn't even five minutes old, and you ran out on us. You abandoned me again, and all because of what God has given you. Our son is beautiful and if you can't see that, then I suggest you leave and never return. But be warned, you will be missing out on the most wonderful time of your life. Raising this child will be one of the best joys in the world…"

"You're right," I began. "And forgive me for saying this, but it may take a while for me to accept all of this. Everything is just happening to fast, and it's been hard for me to grasp it. I have a son now, a son that I'm going to have to protect with everything I have. I would never let anything harm him, Christine. I just don't want him to go through the pain I went through. You knew what I went through and it wasn't pretty."

"I…I understand."

"So, let me try this again, Christine… May I hold our son?"

Christine nodded and placed the small child into my arms. At first, it was hard to look down at his face, but when I did, I saw myself staring back at me.

"See, he likes you…"

The child wasn't crying, but I knew he could sense that I wasn't his mother. This certainly would take some getting used to.

"So, while you were gone, I thought about what I wanted to name him. I have one picked out, but before I officially named him, I wanted to know if you had anything in mind?"

I shook my head. "I don't, Christine. My mother never named me, you know. She told the priest to name me after him…a complete stranger! I would appreciate it if you didn't name him after me. I don't want him having the name of a complete stranger too."

"But it wouldn't be a complete stranger's name, Erik, it would be yours. I…I wasn't going to name him after you anyway. I…I sort of wanted to name him Gustave…"

"After your father," I replied, finishing her sentence for her. "Right… You told me that once. Gustave… I think he does look like a Gustave."

"Then it's official then… Gustave Erik…."

"I guess you want my surname as well?" I began. "I don't know why…"

"Erik, we were married and I don't even know your last name."

"Mulheim…It's Mulheim."

"Gustave Erik Mulheim. Does that sound good to you, Erik?"

I placed the child back into Christine arms and nodded.

"Gustave it is then…"

Gustave… I had a son and his name was Gustave. It was strange having this child around, but I helped Christine in any way that I could with him. I was afraid that the world would see him, afraid that they would try to take him away from me…Therefore, I made the child his very own mask. It wasn't a white full faced porcelain mask like the one I wore, but some white felt did the trick. At first, the child didn't like it, for he attempted to take it off every few seconds, but after a while, he became used to it. Christine didn't want this for the boy, but I begged it of her. The world could not see my boy's face… It was the only way I was going to be able to protect him. Most days I worked on finishing the drawings for the opera house while Christine worked. I became the child's main baby sitter. Usually, the child only cried when he wanted to eat, otherwise, he was happy with just playing in his playpen or crawling around on the floor or hiding beneath my desk.

I never thought a child could make me happy, but Gustave was the apple of my eye. I would do everything in my power to protect him from the world and what I went through as a child. Once my drawings were complete, the opera house went into construction. Mr. Squelch wanted it to be complete by the time Coney Island was to open, which was a few years away. Mr. Squelch enjoyed my work so much, that he swore to me that I would never be out of a job… That was a promise kept, for the next few years, I designed and helped build many attractions for the many different parks Coney Island was going to have. It was a strange new world, but at the same time, I knew that this would be where I would spend the remainder of my life…

"Erik?"

I had just gotten home from a long day of work. It had been an extremely hot day on the boardwalk, and I had been out in its scorching sun. Tomorrow was opening day for the new world…Thousands were suspected to attend. It had been three and a half years since I came to Coney Island, and those years had been filled with both joy and heartache. After Gustave's birth, Christine and I continued our marriage. It certainly had its ups and downs, for not only was Gustave a joy to have around, but his condition had also strained our marriage. It seemed as though everyday she and I were in some type of argument about what to do with him. If I wanted one thing, Christine wanted another. I only wanted to protect our child, when Christine wanted him to live in light. Besides his face, I was certain that the boy had other things wrong with him, things that just haven't come full term yet. Among many things, I was certain the boy was blind in his right eye, for he was always bumping into things and rubbing his eye with his hands. I too, was partially blind in my clouded eye. To protect him, I didn't have any mirrors hanging around. The last thing this child needed was to see his own reflection at such a young age. When my mother forced me to look in the mirror, I had nightmares for months and inflicted pain on my face by tearing away my rotted flesh. No, things were just better this way… The only mirror I had around was the one hanging inside my wardrobe, which I kept locked at all times.

"Erik?"

I was just sitting down at my desk, when I heard Christine calling for me. A few moments later, she came walking through the door to my office and smiled. We were no longer living atop of Dr. Gangle's café… No, when the housing was finished being built in Coney Island, I purchased a three bedroom row home that was one block from the opera house… I knew once it was up and running we would be spending a lot of time there.

"Erik, I can't find Gustave… Is he with you?"

I shook my head. "No, I just came home from work."

"I can't find him… The last place I left him was in his room. I only turned my back for a second."

I nodded and stood to my feet. "I'll find him, Christine."

There weren't many places Gustave liked to wander off to, but he did have his hiding spots. I never thought a three year old could get so far on his own, but after purchasing the house, I certainly found out. I was about to check the kitchen cabinets, when I heard whimpering coming from down in the basement. Curious, I slowly stepped down each stair and turned on the light. Once the spider web infested pantry became visible, I found him… He was huddled beneath a broken table and his mask was off.

"Gustave?"

The child gasped and came running to me… He buried his malformed face into my pants and began to sob.

"What's wrong, little one? Why are you down here?"

When I saw his mask lying beneath the table, I began to make my way over to pick it up, when the boy began to scream and pull me back.

"Gustave, enough… What have I told you about speaking to me? I can't understand what you want by crying."

"M…Monster!" he whimpered.

"A monster?"

I shook my head and bent down to pick up his little mask, when I noticed that there was a puddle beneath the table. It must have been from when it rained, for when it did, the water always leaked down into the basement. And then I gasped…The boy must have been exploring and his mask must have fallen off… Slowly, Gustave approached me and peeked down into the puddle, only to scream once again. Quickly, very quickly I scooped him up into my arms and carried the poor boy up the stairs, knowing that the next few hours were going to be anything but easy.

* * *

**Well, he's starting to act like a father. Please review everyone!**


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